# Accident 19990711008609A: Aviat PITTSS1S, Norwalk, OH, July 11, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 11, 1999, 13:11 local time - Place: Norwalk, OH - Airport: Norwalk-Huron County Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.2400° N, 82.6100° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2400&lon=-82.6100&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2118, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2118-2000-03-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Guy-Pitts Special S-1S (registry code 72202MT, https://openairdocs.org/model/guy-pitts-special-s-1s) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AVIAT PITTSS1S - Reported engine: LYC O360A4A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 8,200 total, 90 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA171) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990711008609A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT STRUCK A TREE AND BURST INTO FLAMES, THE PILOT/SOLE OCCUPANT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JULY 11, 1999, AT 1311 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT PITTS S-1S, N2118, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE MANEUVERING AT NORWALK-HURON COUNTY AIRPORT (OH21), NORWALK, OHIO. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE MADE A LOW PASS OVER RUNWAY 28. ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE 4,210-FOOT RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE "BRIEFLY" BECAME INVERTED, THEN RETURNED TO UPRIGHT, LEVEL FLIGHT. IT BEGAN A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN, AND IMPACTED 80-FOOT TREES BEYOND THE END, AND JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. (.4) ON JULY 11, 1999, AT 1311 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT PITTS S-1S, N2118, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE MANEUVERING AT NORWALK-HURON COUNTY AIRPORT (OH21), NORWALK, OHIO. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. A WITNESS, WHO WAS ALSO AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC WITH A MAJOR AIRLINE, STATED THAT THE PILOT STARTED UP THE AIRPLANE, TAXIED IT TO THE EAST END OF THE AIRPORT, AND PERFORMED AN ENGINE CHECK. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF EAST TO WEST, THEN TURNED LEFT, AND CIRCLED THE AIRPORT. THE WITNESS THEN SAW THE AIRPLANE FLYING TOWARD THE WEST, OVER THE RAMP, AND BETWEEN TWO ROWS OF "T"-HANGARS. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INVERTED "SO THE FAMILY COULD WAVE," THEN QUICKLY RETURNED TO A NORMAL, "UPRIGHT" POSITION. THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER THE PILOT'S HANGAR, THEN OVER THE GRASS AT THE END OF THE RAMP. IT BANKED TO THE RIGHT, APPEARED TO BE LEVELING ITS WINGS, THEN STRUCK TREES. THE WITNESS DID NOT HEAR ANY STRANGE ENGINE NOISES, OR NOTICE ANYTHING "VISIBLY WRONG" WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO ITS IMPACT WITH TREES. ACCORDING TO AN OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT, THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 28 AT A LOW ALTITUDE. "THE PILOT ROLLED INVERTED, ROLLED BACK TO WINGS LEVEL, AND STARTED A TURN TO THE NORTH." THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK TREE TOPS WITH THE RIGHT LOWER WINGTIP AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE REPORT ALSO STATED THAT THE FIRST POSSIBLE TREE STRIKE WAS IN A 74-FOOT TREE, AND THAT THE WRECKAGE PATH CONTINUED ALONG A NORTHERLY TRACK FOR ABOUT 400 FEET. AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED ON THE PILOT'S REMAINS BY THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO, CORONER'S OFFICE, AND TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING WAS PERFORMED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TOXICOLOGY AND ACCIDENT RESEARCH LABORATORY, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA. ACCORDING TO 49 CFR PART 91, PARAGRAPH 91.303: "NO PERSON MAY OPERATE AN AIRCRAFT IN AEROBATIC FLIGHT...(E) BELOW AN ALTITUDE OF 1,500 FEET ABOVE THE SUFACE..." ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC99LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA171), Jul 11, 1999: Guy Pitts S-1S (N2118), Norwalk, OH, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to conduct a low level aerobatic maneuver, and his subsequent loss of awareness regarding the location of trees at that level. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.