Pitts S1 accident near Heber City, Utah, July 5, 1994
On July 5, 1994 at about 10:17 pm local time, a Pitts S1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered CGPUR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Heber City, Utah (Heber Valley 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
FAILURE OF MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE HARDWARE. FACTORS INCLUDE COLLAPSE OF MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1994 · about 10:17 pm local time
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · Heber Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S1, amateur-built · all S1s on the register
- Registration
- CGPUR · no longer on the register · serial R-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED SOMEWHAT HARD ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, RECORDING 2 G'S ON HIS ACCELEROMETER. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL AND AXLE SEPARATED AND THE LANDING GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED. POST-CRASH INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE FOUR ATTACHMENT BOLTS WERE EXCESSIVELY WORN AND WERE APPARENTLY IMPROPERLY TORQUED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 894 hours in all; 820 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 18 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.