- Date
- August 22, 1993, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bloomington, IL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N10TWells Pitts S-2-S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930822029839A
- Case key
- 9302
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 in command continued the aerobatic maneuver too long to effect a safe level off.
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
While performing aerobatic maneuvers during an air show, the pilot continued aerobatic maneuvers to an altitude too low to recover.
Factual narrative
On August 22, 1993, about 1230 CDT, an experimental homebuilt Wells Pitts S-2-S airplane, N10T, registered and piloted by commercially certificated, Charles S. Wells of Springfield, Illinois, was performing aerobatic maneuvers during an air show at Bloomington-Normal Airport, Bloomington, Illinois. While attempting a recovery from a maneuver the aircraft descended into the terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. This flight was operating under a waiver to 14 CFR 91.
No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the occurrence. The flight originated from Bloomington, Illinois.
Witnesses reported that N10T exited a lomcevak into an inverted flat spin "...too low for possibility of recovery." The aircraft impacted the terrain nose down at approximately 45 degrees.
Toxicological testing found no carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles or drugs. An autopsy revealed no pre-existing abnormalities which would have inhibited the pilot's normal flying ability. The autopsy was performed at McLean County Coroner's Office, Bloomington, Illinois.
Post-accident investigation of the aircraft found no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10T
- Reported as
- Wells Pitts S-2-S (PITTS S-2-)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2000
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Wells, Charles S.
- Registered owner
- Charles And George Wells
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- BMI
- Destination
- BMI
- Airport
- BMI · Bloomington-Normal Airpt
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
- 69
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- 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
- 14,450 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BMI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.