# Accident 20171020020932A: Young David E PITTS S1-C, Farmville, VA, October 20, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 20, 2017, 10:20 local time
- Place: Farmville, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Collision on the ground
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3561° N, 78.4386° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3561&lon=-78.4386&mi=10
- Aircraft: N25YD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25YD-2019-11-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Young David E PITTS S1-C (registry code 05615QC, https://openairdocs.org/model/young-david-e-pitts-s1-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: YOUNG DAVID E PITTS S1-C
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 277 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA017) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171020020932A

## Narrative

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

THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED TWO EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, N25YD (PITTS S1-C) AND N27KJ (STAUDACHER S-600F).  THE PILOT OF N25YD HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS PRACTICE SESSION IN THE AEROBATIC BOX AND WAS RETURNING FOR LANDING.  THE PILOT OF N27KJ HAD JUST ENTERED THE AEROBATIC BOX FOR HIS PRACTICE TIME SLOT BUT NOTICED HE HAD LEFT A WATER BOTTLE IN THE COCKPIT AND NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT TO DROP IT OFF.

N25YD ANNOUNCED ON UNICOM THAT HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 03.  AS N25YD WAS SETTING UP TO LAND ON RUNWAY 03, N27KJ WAS DEPARTING THE BOX TO LAND ON RUNWAY 21 BUT HAD ANNOUNCED ?RUNWAY 03? ON UNICOM.  N25YD COMPLETED ALL THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS AND SUCCESSFULLY LANDED ON RUNWAY 03.  MEANWHILE, N27KJ FLEW A TIGHT RIGHT PATTERN AND A STEEP APPROACH INTO RUNWAY 21, HOWEVER, ALL OF N27KJ?S RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE FOR RUNWAY 03.  BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD MADE SUCCESSFUL LANDINGS ONTO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE RUNWAY BUT SINCE BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY AND THE PILOTS ASSUMED THEY WERE BOTH ON RUNWAY 03, THE COLLISION ON THE RUNWAY CAME WITHOUT WARNING.  THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT AND SERIOUS INJURY TO ONE OF THE PILOTS.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N27KJ, Staudacher Jon S-600F: [Accident 20171020020952A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171020020952A)

## 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 GAA18CA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA017), Oct 20, 2017: Young David E Pitts S1 C (N25YD), Farmville, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid the other airplane landing in the opposite direction on the runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to use the correct runway call sign in…

## Other reports on N25YD (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20150401003639I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150401003639I), Apr 1, 2015: Young David E PITTS S1-C (N25YD), Burlington, NC, Minor damage. Upon rollout while still on runway, tail wheel fitting attach bolt sheared allowing tail wheel to rotate approximately 90 degrees. Aircraft veered right and…

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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