Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32124
Tuesady, April 11, 2000 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated the landing on runway 5 was normal and during landing rollout, the rudder suddenly went full to the right and the aircraft veered to the right. He could not regain control and the aircraft went off the runway and collided with a hangar. Post crash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector showed the forward tail wheel attach bolt had sheared and the tail wheel had collapsed to the right and deflected the rudder to the right. The remains of the sheared bolt could not be removed and was not retained for further examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Collapse of the tail wheel to the right during landing rollout when the forward attach bolt sheared for undetermined reasons. This resulted in the aircraft's rudder deflecting to the right, the pilot losing directional control, and the aircraft running off the runway and colliding with a hangar.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32124
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRUCE CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 44J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 750
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 167
NTSB Notification Source FAA Orlando FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27235
NTSB Number MIA00LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Walden A. Cooper
Aircraft Model PITTS S1S
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S1S
Aircraft Serial Number P-796-WC
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1600
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS E. SUTPHIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7131 LAKESIDE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46278
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 55J
Departure City FERNANDINA BCH.
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --