Pitts S1C accident near Goodland, Kansas, October 19, 1985
On October 19, 1985 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Pitts S1C, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N22R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goodland, Kansas (Goodland 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
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
- October 19, 1985 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Goodland, Kansas · Goodland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S1C, amateur-built · all S1Cs on the register
- Registration
- N22R · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ROLLED FORWARD UNRESTRAINED AFTER THE PLT HAND STARTED THE ENG. A TIE DOWN TIED TO THE TAILWHEEL PULLED FREE FROM THE GROUND TIE DOWN EYE USED TO RESTRAIN THE ACFT DURING THE HAND START PROCEDURE. THE ACFT ROLLED FORWARD STRIKING SEVERAL OBJECTS. THE ACFT FINALLY STOPPED AFTER STRIKING 2 PARKED VEHICLES.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1985; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:17 pm from GDL
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.
Other NTSB records under N22R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.