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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

May 30, 1994 · Donner Pitts S-1 · N34PD

Alvarado, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 30, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Alvarado, TX
Aircraft
Donner Pitts S-1
Tail Number
N34PD
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW94LA186

WHILE LANDING TO THE SOUTH ON A GRASS RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED WHEN IT HIT A BUMP. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT AS IT SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY AND THE RIGHT LOWER WING AILERON AERODYNAMIC SHOVEL BECAME ENTANGLED IN TWO FOOT HIGH GRASS THAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE MOWED RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE YAWED FURTHER RIGHT AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR PARTIALLY COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THE WINDS WERE FROM 110 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 10 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.

Full Narrative

On May 30, 1994, at 1400 central daylight time, a Donner Pitts S- 1 home built, N34PD, was substantially damaged during landing at the Luscombe Acres private air strip in Alvarado, Texas. The airplane, owned and operated by an airline transport rated pilot, was on a local personal flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. According to the pilot, he executed a normal approach, landing on runway 18, after a brief local flight. He stated that upon touchdown, the airplane ballooned over a bump in the sod runway to a height of about 15 feet. As the airplane settled back down to the runway, it encountered a gust from the crosswind and drifted to the right. During the drift, the lower right wing aileron aerodynamic shovel became entangled in the two foot high grass that was adjacent to the mowed area of the runway. The airplane yawed further right into the tall grass and the left main gear partially collapsed. The airplane subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported the winds as being from 110 degrees at 5 knots, gusting to 10 knots.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:00 CDT
Nearest AirportLuscombe Acres (0nm)
Runway18
Runway Length2800 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftDonner Pitts S-1
Tail NumberN34PD
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4A · Reciprocating · 180
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 33 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind110° @ 5 kt, gusting 10 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data