Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32968
Sunday, August 27, 2000 8:23 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N112JG, an experimental amateur built Pitts model S1-T, was found in an orange grove, about 5 miles southwest of the airport, with the pilot in the aircraft. There were no witnesses to the accident. According to an FAA inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer, who conducted the postcrash examination, the fuselage and bottom wings exhibited compression damage, consistent with that of an aircraft near a flat attitude, with little sign of forward movement. Both main landing gear assemblies had been crushed, while the cockpit, empennage and top wing had been relatively undamaged. The engine manufacturer's representative said that there had been crushing damage to the bottom engine cowl, and the propeller and crankshaft showed that there was damage consistent with rotation at impact. The engine manufacturer's representative also said that there was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction to the engine that would have prevented it from producing power. The NTSB examined components of the engine's fuel injection system, and no anomalies were noted which would have prevented the engine from producing power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain control in flight, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent, and collision with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 823
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32968
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 854 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 82
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 75
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11155
NTSB Notification Source Indian River County Sheriff Di
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 4 2001 12:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N112JG
NTSB Number MIA00LA252
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 Pitts
Aircraft Model S1-T
Aircraft Series Identifier S1-T
Aircraft Serial Number STEPH
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 Jun 22 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 91
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOEL G. SUMMERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4155 SW 12 PLACE
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32968
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code VRB
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 18 2001 4:45AM
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 --