- Date
- June 16, 1991, 17:08 local (23:08 UTC)
- Place
- Kenosha, WI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N83AMJack Thomas Pitts S-IT
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910616021879A
- Case key
- 14841
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
Improper maintenance, by person or persons unknown, to the elevator control system which allowed a bolt attaching the elevator control rod to the pitch bellcrank to become disconnected during flight.
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 amateur built aircraft was conducting aerobatic maneuvers when it descended into the terrain. A post accident examination of the airframe revealed that the pitch (elevator) control linkage under the pilot's seat, at the bellcrank, was missing a bolt. There was no evidence of an inflight failure in this area and both the torque tube and rod end showed no indication of damage. The bolt was not located.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83AM
- Reported as
- Jack Thomas Pitts S-IT
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- T-020TJ
- Engine
- Lycoming AEI0-360-A1E, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David Cargill
- Registered owner
- D M Car Co Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 9, 1990 · 40 hours before
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
- 38
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.