Pitts S1S accident near Hornell, New York, June 28, 1992
On June 28, 1992 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Pitts S1S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N8025, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hornell, New York (Hornell Municipal 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 MISJUDGED LANDING BY THE PILOT AND HIS SUBSEQUENT IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1992 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hornell, New York · Hornell Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S1S, amateur-built · all S1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N8025 · registry record · serial 10018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID, 'THE AIR[PLANE TOUCHED DOWN AND BOUNCED. IT SEEMED TO OSCILLATE BETWEEN THE TAILWHEEL AND THE MAIN GEAR....IT STARTED TO VEER TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY....I APPLIED FULL THROTTLE...TO GO AROUND.' THE AIRPLANE DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE AND 'TUMBLED' ON THE GROUND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 299 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 241 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,189 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 2, 1992; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4G6 at 2:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.