Amateur-built PITTS S-1S accident near Greenwood, Mississippi, June 19, 1997
On June 19, 1997 at about 3:40 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1S, registered N7211R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenwood, Mississippi (Greenwood Leflore airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of directional control during the landing rollout for undetermined reason(s), resulting in the airplane veering to the right and subsequently nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1997 · about 3:40 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- Greenwood, Mississippi · Greenwood Leflore · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-1S
- Registration
- N7211R · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he made a three-point landing. On landing rollout, he lost directional control, and the airplane veered to the right and nosed over. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and brake assembly revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. The pilot stated that an FAA inspector observed a groove in the middle of the runway that may have been wide enough to cause problems for a small tail wheel aircraft. Also, the pilot said that he believed that the tailwheel entered one of these cracks, causing it to deflect to the full swivel position after which no control was possible. Examination of the runway by FAA personnel revealed the depth of the crack was minimal, went straight down the middle of the runway, and was associated with a butt joint from the original overlay.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Grenada MS at 3:36 pm
- Destination: GWO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,564 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from GWO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7211R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D 1,057 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Greenwood-Leflore Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Mississippi 845 since 1982 · 90 in the last ten years
- Mississippi 2,601 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA97LA187.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.