Amateur-built PITTS S-1S accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1995
On October 13, 1995 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1S, registered N792, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erwinna, Pennsylvania (Vansant 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 misjudged flare and improper bounced landing recovery. Factors were the pilot's lack of recent experience and a false oil pressure gauge indication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1995 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Erwinna, Pennsylvania · Vansant Airport · 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
- N792 · no longer on the register · serial 740-H
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight the oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot retarded the throttle and set up for a forced landing on a turf runway. On final approach another airplane pulled onto the runway in front of him. The pilot side-stepped to the left and continued with the approach and touchdown. The airplane bounced, during which the landing gear collapsed, and a lower wing spar was fractured. The airplane came to rest inverted. Testing with a direct reading oil pressure gauge revealed oil pressure when the engine was rotated with the starter. The pilot had not flown an airplane in the preceeding year, and his medical certificate and flight review had expired.
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: 150 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 155 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N85 Alexandria NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,085 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N792 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.