- Date
- May 11, 1993, 18:15 local (May 12, 1993, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, MN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N17FSPitts S1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930511013229A
- Case key
- 15569
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's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance during aerobatic maneuvers.
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
Witnesses reported the pilot performed high altitude aerobatics for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then he entered a spin and descended into terrain. Witnesses stated he appeared to have control of the airplane during the descent, but pulled out when he was too close to the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17FS
- Reported as
- Pitts S1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 467-H
- Engine
- reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Keltgen, John J.
- Registered owner
- Keltgen, John J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special flight (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 1992
- Airport
- DXX · Madison
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
- 76
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,200 total · 300 in this make and model · 7,500 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MVE, 23 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.