NTSB MKC90LA102 — 1990-05-06 · LARNED, Kansas, United States

Current FAA registration · N64585

Make / Model: LIGHTCAP PITTS S-1D
Year of manufacture: 1977 · 13 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING HO-360 (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19790410
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A87B5C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N64585 LIGHTCAP PITTS-S-1D None

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT STRUT, DUE TO FATIGUE.

Factual narrative

THE COMMERCIAL PLT SAID THAT WHILE ROLLING OUT, DURING TAKEOFF AND LDGS PRACTICE, HE HEARD A POPPING NOISE. THE RIGHT WING BEGAN TO DROP, SO A GO-AROUND WAS EXECUTED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LAND, THINKING THE CROSS WIND WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, HE LANDED. AFTER ABOUT 150 FEET INTO THE ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE WELD ON THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUT HAD FAILED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_MKC90LA102.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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