Aura Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85238
Wednesday, August 22, 1984 13:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE WAS FLYING INVERTED WHEN HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. SEVERAL IN FLIGHT RESTART ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD. WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO THE DIRT ROAD, A PICK UP TRUCK ENTERED ONTO THE ROAD WHICH FORCED THE PILOT TO LAND IN THE ROUGH DESERT ENVIRONMENT ADJACENT TO THE ROAD. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP OF A DITCH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85238
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AURA VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 2000
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1957
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 1984 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25866
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56AB
NTSB Number LAX84LA450
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BASTIAN
Aircraft Model PITTS S1S
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S1S
Aircraft Serial Number BF-20
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 638
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMOS E. BUETTELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4237 OSAGE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85718
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMOS E BUETTELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4237 OSAGE DR
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85718
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code E14
Departure City TUCSON
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --