Amateur-built PITTS S-1S accident near Meade, Kansas, August 16, 1987
On August 16, 1987 at about 11:20 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1S, registered N900K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meade, Kansas (Meade Muni 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
- August 16, 1987 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Meade, Kansas · Meade Muni · 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
- N900K · no longer on the register · serial 1JM
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE DEPG TO THE SE, THE ENG SEIZED. ALL OF THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN CONSISTED OF PLOWED FIELDS, SO THE PLT TRIED TO GLIDE BACK TO THE ARPT; HOWEVER, HE HAD INSUFFICIENT SPEED & ALT TO GET ALIGNED WITH THE RWY. DRG THE LNDG, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE SHOULDER OF THE RWY & WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE #3 ROD CAP & BOLTS HAD FAILED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ROD-TO-CRANKSHAFT BEARING HAD BEEN ROTATING IN THE ROD & HAD INITIATED THE FAILURE. THE ENG HAD 21 HRS OF FLT TIME SINCE IT HAD BEEN OVERHAULED.
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: 306 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 268 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 136 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1987; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.