# NTSB FTW94LA186: Donner Pitts S-1, N34PD, Alvarado, TX, May 30, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 30, 1994, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Alvarado, TX
- Coordinates: 32.409137, -97.210884 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4091&lon=-97.2109&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 12, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 19077
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94LA186
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19077/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA186

## Probable cause

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

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - high vegetation
  - compensation for wind conditions - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,main gear - overload
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

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.

## Factual 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.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N34PD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N34PD), registered now, S/N 45, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DONNER PITTS S-1
- Registry model: [Donner Dal PITTS S-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/donner-dal-pitts-s-1) (registry code 7220779) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 45
- Airframe hours: 628
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Donner, Paul A.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, May 22, 1994, 5 hours before
- Departed: 6XS2
- Destination: 6XS2
- Airport: 6XS2, Luscombe Acres, runway 18, 2,800 × 75 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 8,751 total, 756 in this make and model, 3,200 as pilot in command, 174 in the last 90 days, 44 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 110° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F

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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