# Accident 20080612839369A: Aviat PITTSS1S, St Petersburg-, FL, June 12, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 12, 2008, 08:05 local time
- Place: St Petersburg-, FL
- Airport: St Petersburg-Clearwater International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.9100° N, 82.6872° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9100&lon=-82.6872&mi=10
- Aircraft: N347MM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N347MM-2012-11-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Marrin Michael D PITTS S-1 (registry code 056263R, https://openairdocs.org/model/marrin-michael-d-pitts-s-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-360 series (registry code 17025, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AVIAT PITTSS1S
- Reported engine: CONT IO360*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 350 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC08LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA213) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080612839369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT INITIATED TAKEOFF TO REMAIN IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF HIS FIRST FLIGHT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT AFTER IT HAD RECEIVED CERTIFICATION.  JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF AND BEFORE CLIMB, HE STATED THAT HE CLIMBED NO MORE THAN ABOUT 30 FEET WHEN HE FELT SOMETHING "LET GO".  WHEN QUERIED, HE STATED THAT HE MEANT THAT IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ENGINE HAD LOST SOME POWER.  HE ALSO STATED THAT HE KNEW THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOW AND HE WAS PLANNING TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF EVEN THOUGH HE WAS AIRBORNE.  HE STATED THAT HE SIMPLY HAD THE AIRCRAFT STALL ON HIM AND ROLL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT.  HE STATED THAT THE ROLL ONSET WAS SO SUDDEN AND AT SUCH AT LOW ALTITUDE THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REACT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT BECAME NEARLY TOTALLY INVERTED AND HAD DESCENDED LOW ENOUGH FOR THE UPPER RIGHT WINGTIP TO CONTACT THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRCRAFT SLID 250 FEET TO A STOP IN AN INVERTED POSITION AND THE PILOT EXITED UNDER HIS OWN POWER WITH ONLY SCRAPES, SURFACE LACERATIONS, AND CONTUSIONS.

## 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 NYC08LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA213), Jun 12, 2008: Marrin Pitts S-1 (N347MM), St. Petersburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed following a partial loss of engine power, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was improper maintenance practices…

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.

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