Amateur-built Pitts S1S accident near Show Low, Arizona, August 17, 2008
On August 17, 2008 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Pitts S1S, registered N39124, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Show Low, Arizona (Show Low 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 failed to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's limited experience in the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2008 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Show Low, Arizona · Show Low · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Pitts S1S
- Registration
- N39124 · no longer on the register · serial 20938
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was landing at the airport to refuel. During the landing, he flared the tail wheel-equipped airplane too high, the airplane bounced and began to veer to the left. The pilot aborted the landing and climbed the airplane back to pattern altitude for a second landing attempt. He flared and the airplane touched down; however, it veered to the left toward the edge of the runway. Just prior to the airplane leaving the runway surface, he added full power to go around. The airplane turned to the right, but the left wing rose and the airplane nosed down. The right and left wing tips impacted the runway as the airplane skidded down it for approximately 300 feet. The pilot had about 3 hours of flight time in the airplane make/model. He indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 273 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming AEIO-550-B4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVQ Marana AZ
- Destination: SOW Show Low AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 7,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from KSOW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N39124 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.