- Date
- October 17, 1990, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ocala, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1235Pitts Special S-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901017046209A
- Case key
- 8293
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot experiencced spatial disorientation, lost control of the airplane during a spin maneuver and collided with the ground.
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 pilot was practicing aerobatic maneuvers for an upcoming competition. The pilot's routine included a spin maneuver which required two turns. According to a friend, the pilot had experienced some difficulty with spin entry. This spin entry was sharper and the nose was tucked approximate 60 degrees instead of the normal 45 degrees of nose low attitude. After approximately 8 turns the witness realized that something was wrong. The airplane impacted the ground in an upright attitude adjacent to the sod runway. The airframe and engine examinations failed to disclose any system malfunction or component failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1235
- Reported as
- Pitts Special S-1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 51667
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A2B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thorp, Patricia J.
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 589 total · 40 in this make and model · 414 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- 0CF, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.