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19960804020599A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Child S1SPITTS · Pittsburgh, PA · August 4, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 4, 1996 · 18:37 local
Place
Pittsburgh, PA
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N2HT
NTSB investigation
NTSBIAD96FA126
Reported as
Child S1SPITTS
Reported engine
Lycoming IO360B4A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
2,625 total35 in this make and model
N2HTRegistration cancelled Sep 10, 2014 · Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1SS/N 1-0014 · Built 1974Airframe modelAerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1SEngine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Performing aerobatics, went into river, witness saw part of wing break off while in flight. (.4)the pilot received clearance into the approved airshow aerobatic airspace, and initiated his first maneuver, a double snap roll. A video tape of the maneuver showed a deformation of the lower left wing within seconds of initiation of the maneuver. This was followed by a failure of the left outboard portion of the upper wing. Both the failed lower left wing and the failed upper left outboard portion of the top wing displaced aft against the empennage. The video then captured the airplane in a descent until water impact in an inverted attitude. According to witnesses, the pilot utilized airspeeds greater than the manufacturer's recommended maneuvering airspeeds. Witnesses also reported seeing the 'g' meter in the cockpit at higher positive and negative readings than recommended by the manufacturer. The pilot had voiced his concern about the airplane's wings because of flutter he experienced during recent flights.

As the FAA filed it

PERFORMING AEROBATICS, WENT INTO RIVER, WITNESS SAW PART OF WING BREAK OFF WHILE IN FLIGHT. (.4)THE PILOT RECEIVED CLEARANCE INTO THE APPROVED AIRSHOW AEROBATIC AIRSPACE, AND INITIATED HIS FIRST MANEUVER, A DOUBLE SNAP ROLL. A VIDEO TAPE OF THE MANEUVER SHOWED A DEFORMATION OF THE LOWER LEFT WING WITHIN SECONDS OF INITIATION OF THE MANEUVER. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A FAILURE OF THE LEFT OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE UPPER WING. BOTH THE FAILED LOWER LEFT WING AND THE FAILED UPPER LEFT OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE TOP WING DISPLACED AFT AGAINST THE EMPENNAGE. THE VIDEO THEN CAPTURED THE AIRPLANE IN A DESCENT UNTIL WATER IMPACT IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PILOT UTILIZED AIRSPEEDS GREATER THAN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED MANEUVERING AIRSPEEDS. WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED SEEING THE 'G' METER IN THE COCKPIT AT HIGHER POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE READINGS THAN RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE PILOT HAD VOICED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS BECAUSE OF FLUTTER HE EXPERIENCED DURING RECENT FLIGHTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB IAD96FA126Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPittsburgh, PAThe pilot's utilization of airspeeds greater than the manufacturer recommended maneuvering airspeeds which exceed the design limits of the airplane and resulted in the subsequent failure of the wing spar.Aug 4, 1996 · Destroyed

Other reports on N2HT · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19810817062169IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Latrobe, PAPilot attempting right turn during rollout aircraft flipped on back.Aug 17, 1981 · Reported as Child S1SPITTS · Minor damage