- Date
- May 8, 1983, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wetumpka, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N44GPPitts S1-SP
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830508018299A
- Case key
- 6062
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft experienced an inflt structural failure of its upper wing during aerobatics in an air show. The acft was landedsafely and the pilot was not injured. The upper wing leading edge ribs reportedly collapsed as the pilot began to pull up at the beginning of an eight-sided loop at about 200 KTS. An FAA observer reported that about 60% of the upper wing fabric then peeled rearward and separated. The pilot 'aborted the show' and landed without further incident. Examination by an FAA inspector and the owner revealed that the leading edge of the upper wing had collapsed rearward tothe front spar with all nose ribs broken. This acft is one of two with 'kermit weeks' wings. The failure described has also happened with the other acft. Both acft upper wings had been constructed of lighter weight materials with emphasis on improved performance. Subsequent to this accident the wing was rebuilt with stronger materials to withstand higher loads.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44GP
- Reported as
- Pitts S1-SP
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 385
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Clarence G. Parramore
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1983
- Departed
- 08A
- Airport
- 08A · Wetumpka Muni., runway 27, 3,000 × 80 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 14,812 total · 1,090 in this make and model · 14,512 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.