Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minersville, Pennsylvania 17901
Thursday, October 8, 1992 18:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS TO PROVIDE AN OPINION OF THE AIRPLANE TO THE OWNER. FAA RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE PILOT WAS CERTIFIED FOR AEROBATIC MANEUVERS TO THE SURFACE. THE PILOT HAD OVER 300 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE PITTS. AFTER SEVERAL AEROBATIC MANEUVERS, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COUNTER A NOSE-UP ATTITUDE AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE SPIN ROTATION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE PITCH PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND. A C-CLAMP WAS FOUND IN THE AFT FUSELAGE, NEAR THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS. THE CLAMP WAS BENT, GOUGED, AND HAD MARKS WHERE THE PAINT HAD BEEN REMOVED. AN ELEVATOR CONTROL ROD WAS FRACTURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A FOREIGN OBJECT JAMMING THE ELEVATOR FLIGHT CONTROLS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/8/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MINERSVILLE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17901
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 769
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48233
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31SP
NTSB Number NYC93LA011
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Anderson Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model PITTS S-1
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S-1
Aircraft Serial Number AL-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 916
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BARDIC AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 518
Aircraft Owner City MINERSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17954
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BARDIC AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 518
Operator City MINERSVILLE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17954
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ZER
Departure City POTTSVILLE
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ZER
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --