20161029022679A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Haddow William H PITTS SPECIAL S-1 · New Bern, NC · October 29, 2016

Date: October 29, 2016 · 16:25 local
Place: New Bern, NC
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N27832
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA17LA031
Reported as: Haddow William H Pitts Special S-1
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,342 total

N27832Registration cancelled Sep 6, 2019 · Haddow William H PITTS SPECIAL S-1S/N WHPS-0086 · Built 1994 Airframe modelHaddow William H PITTS SPECIAL S-1 Engine 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.

Pilot stated that while practicing aerobatics maneuvers over the water the controls stuck. Controls stuck after performing a left and right aileron roll and a vertical up line. Pilot applied right aileron to get the aircraft under control. Right aileron input did not stop the left roll. Pilot tried a spin recovery that did not work. Pilot decided that the aircraft was no longer recoverable and bailed out. Pilot parachuted to the water unharmed.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT WHILE PRACTICING AEROBATICS MANEUVERS OVER THE WATER THE CONTROLS STUCK. CONTROLS STUCK AFTER PERFORMING A LEFT AND RIGHT AILERON ROLL AND A VERTICAL UP LINE. PILOT APPLIED RIGHT AILERON TO GET THE AIRCRAFT UNDER CONTROL. RIGHT AILERON INPUT DID NOT STOP THE LEFT ROLL. PILOT TRIED A SPIN RECOVERY THAT DID NOT WORK. PILOT DECIDED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NO LONGER RECOVERABLE AND BAILED OUT. PILOT PARACHUTED TO THE WATER UNHARMED.

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 ERA17LA031Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNew Bern, NCA loss of biplane control during aerobatic maneuvers for reasons that could not be determined because a portion of the biplane's flight control system was not recovered and could not be tested.Oct 29, 2016 · Substantial damage