# Accident 19990515021909A: Child S1PITTS, Mattoon Charles, IL, May 15, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 1999, 12:45 local time
- Place: Mattoon Charles, IL
- Airport: Coles County Memorial
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.4695° N, 88.3592° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4695&lon=-88.3592&mi=10
- Aircraft: N64DE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N64DE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Engleman PITTS S1-125HP (registry code 722024G, https://openairdocs.org/model/engleman-pitts-s1-125hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-290 series (registry code 42083, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHILD S1PITTS
- Reported engine: LYC O290
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA151) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990515021909A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON MAY 15, 1999, AT 1245 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), AN ENGLEMAN PITTS S1, N64DE, OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT GROUND LOOPED WHILE LANDING AT THE COLES COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT, MATTOON, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MATTOON, ILLINOIS, AT 1200 CDT. THE LANDING WAS BEING MADE ON RUNWAY 11 (6,501' X 150') WITH THE LOCAL WINDS FROM 170 AT 10 KNOTS. THE LEFT LOWER WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY DURING THE GROUND LOOP. (-23)WHILE PRACTICING LANDINGS AT MATTOON-COLES CONTY MEMORIAL. AIRPORT THE PILOT IN COMMAND HAD COMPLETED THREE (3) UNEVENTFULL LANDINGS ON THE SOD RUNWAY 17.  THE PILOT THEN DECIDED TO LAND ON HARD SURFACE RUNWAY 11.  WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED TO BE 170 DEGREES AND 10 KNOTS WITH SOME GUSTING.  THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL FOR APPROXIMATELY 5-8 SECONDS, THEN THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT.  THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT BRAKE AND RUDDER, HOWEVER THE SWERVE CONTINUED TO WORSEN RESULTING IN THE COLLAPSE OF TH                                      E LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT LATER STATED THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST LANDING ON THE HARD SURFACE RUNWAY IN THIS AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI99LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA151), May 15, 1999: Engleman Pitts S1 (N64DE), Mattoon, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and inadvertent ground loop/swerve. A related factor was the crosswind.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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