# Accident 20220217002069A: Pitts S-1T, Spring, TX, February 17, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 17, 2022, 14:01 local time
- Place: Spring, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.0531° N, 95.5518° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0531&lon=-95.5518&mi=10
- Aircraft: N731FL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N731FL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pitts S-1T (registry code 7220404, https://openairdocs.org/model/pitts-s-1t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1E (registry code 41851, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-a1e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PITTS S-1T
- Reported engine: LYCOMING AEIO-360-A1E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,927 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA123) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220217002069A

## Narrative

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

ON 2/17/2022 AT 1401 CST, A PITTS MODEL S-1T, S/N 1061, N731FL, DEPARTED RUNWAY 35R AT DAVID WAYNE HOOKS AIRPORT (KDWH), WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE CONTROLLABILITY ISSUE. THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO DWH AND LAND ON RUNWAY 35L. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE AIRPORT LOCALIZER ANTENNA AND CAME TO REST INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, BOTH WING ASSEMBLY?S, AND THE LOWER SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE, JUST AFT OF THE ENGINE FIREWALL.

THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF HE ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE USING THE THROTTLE, BUT THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE INPUTS, EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS OTHERWISE WORKING NORMALLY. REALIZING HE HAD AN ENGINE ISSUE, HE CONTACTED THE TOWER AND STATED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT; HE WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER THE LEFT DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 35L, BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. HE TURNED LEFT BASE AND DIRECTLY TO THE NUMBERS WITH CONSIDERABLE ALTITUDE IN RELATION TO THE RUNWAY, AT WHICH TIME HE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION KEY. ON FINAL, HIS GROUND SPEED REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO A STRONG HEADWIND, AT WHICH TIME IT BECAME CLEAR HE WAS NOT GOING TO REACH THE RUNWAY AND ENDED UP MAKING CONTACT WITH THE LOCALIZER. WINDS RECORDED AT 1353 WERE REPORTED AT 310, 8KTS GUSTING TO 15KTS.

THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRFRAME ANNUAL INSPECTION, AND ENGINE AND PROPELLER INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 930.5 ON APRIL 28, 2021. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 70 HOURS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS. DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE ENGINE FUEL NOZZLES, FUEL INJECTOR AND FLOW DIVIDER WERE REMOVED FOR CLEANING/FLOW TESTING/OVERHAUL. THE ORIGINAL LINES/NOZZLES AND FUEL INJECTOR WERE REINSTALLED, THE FLOW DIVIDER WAS REPLACED WITH AN OVERHAULED UNIT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT HOLDS AN A&P CERTIFICATE AND PERFORMED THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION SHOWS THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE LEVER ARM ON THE FUEL SERVO/INJECTOR.

WHEN THE NTSB REPORT AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.

## 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 CEN22LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA123), Feb 17, 2022: Pitts S-1T (N731FL), Spring, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of maintenance personnel to properly connect the throttle cable, which led to the pilot’s inability to control engine power during the initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.