# NTSB DEN88LA177: Rossi Pitts S-1S, N59J, Butte, MT, August 6, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 6, 1988, 13:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place: Butte, MT
- Location: 45.9548° N, 112.4975° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BERT MOONEY (BTM), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9548&lon=-112.4975&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 10, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17521
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN88LA177
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17521/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88LA177

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command
  - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor)
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)
  - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (cause)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N59J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59J-2013-04-24), registration cancelled 2013-04-24, S/N 1, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROSSI PITTS S-1S
- Registry model: [Rossi James PITTS SPECIAL S-1S](https://openairdocs.org/model/rossi-james-pitts-special-s-1s) (registry code 7220670) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-series) (registry code 41522, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 1
- Airframe hours: 782
- Engines: LYCOMING AEIO-360-A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Ramachadran, Gopal
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, April 11, 1988, 28 hours before
- Departed: WMC, WINNEMUCCA, NV
- Destination: HLN, HELENA, MT
- Airport: BTM, Bert Mooney, runway 15, 9,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 2,481 total, 531 in this make and model, 2,361 as pilot in command, 102 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 40 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BTM

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880806035199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880806035199A), Aug 6, 1988: Amtrpt PITTSSPECS1, Butte, MT, Destroyed. Blown off side of runway trying to land in a 40 knot quartering tail wing. Had elected to land due to weather.

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.

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