Amateur-built PITTS S1S accident near Sedona, Arizona, September 25, 2014
On September 25, 2014 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2013 amateur-built PITTS S1S, registered N93DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the tailwheel steering assembly during maneuvering flight, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2014 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · 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 NO SERIES, built 2013
- Registration
- N93DB · registry record · serial PITTS S1SS-3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/builder of the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane had just completed a flight as part of phase one flight testing. He reported an uneventful approach to landing, with the main landing gear touching down first. However, as soon as the tailwheel made contact with the runway, the airplane yawed violently to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder and brake control input, but the airplane did not respond, and departed the runway descending down an embankment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper wing spar and fuselage structure at the landing gear attach points. Postaccident examination revealed that the tailwheel was locked 90 degrees to the right. The tailwheel assembly was disassembled, and the steering arm cam spring appeared jammed between the shaft and housing. The inner surface of the housing exhibited scoring marks, consistent with a pre-existing failure of the spring. The pilot reported that he had purchased the tailwheel assembly used, and that he did not have any records indicating its manufacturer or serial number.
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
- 450330 during 450
- 551230 during descent - normal
- 552300 during descent - emergency
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Failure
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 31,293 hours in all; 690 in this make and model; 14.1 in the last 90 days; 3.9 in the last 30 days; 23,909 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 12, 2013
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 3, 2014; 43.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,139 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Superior XP-IO-360-E1D (piston); 53 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 5,132 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°C, dew point 48°C
- Altimeter: 30.219999 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KSEZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N93DB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR14CA390.