Amateur-built PITTS S-1S accident near Vinton, Iowa, October 31, 1987
On October 31, 1987 at about 3:50 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1S, registered N76EM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vinton, Iowa. It was a ferry 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
- October 31, 1987 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Vinton, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-1S
- Registration
- N76EM · registry record · serial 1976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS RPRTD TO BE ON A MAINT FERRY FLT TO ANOTHER STATE. HE RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE FLT, HE TOPPED OFF THE FUEL TANK & THAT THE PREFLT, TAKEOFF & DEPARTURE WERE NORMAL. DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, HE LEVELED OFF AT APRX 2000' AGL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG RPM BEGAN TO GRADUALLY DECREASE UNTIL THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING. AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD, BUT THE ACFT NOSED OVER & WAS DMGD. DURING AN EXAM OF THE ACFT FUEL SYS, DIRTY RESIDUE WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL FILTER BOWL & DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL FILTER ELEMENT & FUEL INJECTOR CONTROL VALVE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 440 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 20, 1987; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VTI at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from CID, 24 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.