What happened
On December 31, 2025, at 16:03 CST, a Pitts S1S, registration N401MS, was involved in an accident near Carbondale, Illinois. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
The pilot had performed three touch-and-go landings on runway 36R and subsequently completed a low approach over runway 18L. As the aircraft began a climb near the departure end of the runway, the engine lost power at approximately 400 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot attempted to restore partial power by manually activating the emergency fuel pump, but the engine lost power a second time.
Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot performed a forced landing on an airport perimeter road. After exiting the road to the right, the aircraft struck a power pole. The impact caused the left wing to separate from the airframe. The pilot sustained one minor injury and was not killed in the accident.
The investigation
Investigators recovered video from a tail-mounted camera that captured the sequence of the accident. Additionally, the aircraft's engine monitoring system data card and the airplane itself were retained for examination.