Amateur-built Pitts S1S accident near Mercer, Pennsylvania, August 23, 2005
On August 23, 2005 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Pitts S1S, registered N184MH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mercer, Pennsylvania (Nelson'S Run airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in an on ground encounter with crops. A factor in this accident was the crosswind condition, as reported by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2005 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mercer, Pennsylvania · Nelson'S Run · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Pitts S1S
- Registration
- N184MH · 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 airplane was departing from runway 27, a 2,000-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, turf runway. According to the pilot, a "u-shaped" cluster of trees surrounded the east end of the runway. As the airplane accelerated it began to bounce, and when the airplane passed the cluster of trees, it was exposed to a 10 knot crosswind from the north. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, entered a corn field and nosed over. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Winds reported at an airport that was located about 17 miles northeast of the accident site, about 15 minutes prior to the accident, were from 360 degrees at 6 knots. Winds reported about 5 minutes after the accident, were calm.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 115 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 24 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FKL Franklin PA
- Destination: 39PN Mercer PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from FKL, 17 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC05CA136.