Pitts S-1S accident near Galion, Ohio, August 5, 1992
On August 5, 1992 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Pitts S-1S, registered N88UM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galion, Ohio (Galion 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LANDING AND THE SUBSEQUENT 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
- August 5, 1992 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Galion, Ohio · Galion Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1S · all S-1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N88UM · registry record · serial 1-0035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. HE SAID, 'I THEN CORRECTED TO...GET BACK ON CENTERLINE, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT OVERSHOT. ...I WAS CORRECTING BACK...WHEN THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED.'
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,633 hours in all; 42 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 714 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1992; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,504 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°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.