Amateur-built S1S accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, April 11, 1982
On April 11, 1982 at about 3:20 pm local time, a amateur-built S1S, registered N61RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grain Valley, Missouri (East Kansas City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1982 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · East Kansas City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S1S
- Registration
- N61RM · registry record · serial 6-7501
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ESTIMATED THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED ABOUT 10 GALS DURING PREFLIGHT. THE FUEL GAUGE IS A CLEAR TUBE EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK UP THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT. A DIPSTICK WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE PLT FLEW TO LIBERTY, MO MADE TWO LANDINGS & RETURNED TO EAST KANSAS CITY. WHILE TURNING ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND IN THE TOPS OF TREES TO SOFTEN THE IMPACT. AN OPEN FIELD SUITABLE FOR LANDING WAS OVERFLOWN. OTHER PITTS PILOTS AT THE ARPT STATED THAT LANDING IN TREES WAS PREFERRED DUE TO THE HIGH SINK RATE OF THE ACFT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 349 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 252 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 158 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEI0-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3GV Grain Valley MO at 8:00 am
- Destination: 3GV Grain Valley MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,800 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 am from MKC, 19 miles away
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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.