Eloy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eloy, Arizona 85231
Tuesady, April 3, 1990 18:35 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS PRACTICING AEROBATICS FOR AN UPCOMING AIRSHOW. HE LANDED AT ELOY ARPT AFTER HE HAD COMPLETED ONE ACROBATIC SEQUENCE. THE AIRSHOW'S NARRATOR, AN EMINENTLY QUALIFIED ACROBATIC PERFORMER, TOLD THE PILOT THAT HIS RECOVERY FROM THE FINAL INVERTED FLAT SPIN MANEUVER BEGAN AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE. THE PLT TOLD THE NARRATOR THAT HE INTENDED TO USE AN OIL FILLED SMOKE SOLUTION DURING THE RECOVERY FROM THE FLAT SPIN MANEUVER. THE NARRATOR CAUTIONED THE PLT AGAINST USING SMOKE DURING THE MANEUVER, BUT THE PLT STATED THAT IT ENHANCED THE MANEUVER FROM A SPACTATOR POINT OF VIEW. THE PLT DEPARTED ELOY AND BEGAN ANOTHER ACROBATIC SEQUENCE. THE PLT ENTERED THE FINAL MANEUVER, AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN WITH THE SMOKE ON. THIS TIME HOWEVER HE BEGAN THE RECOVERY AT 500 FT, ABT 300 FT LOWER THAN HIS PREVIOUS RECOVERY. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OUT TO THE RT-SIDE-UP POSITION, BUT THE AIRSPEED WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ARREST THE RAPID VERTICAL SPEED DESCENT. THE WRECKAGE EXAM DSCLSD NO EVIDENCE OF ANY AIRPLANE/ENG. MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DELAYED THE RECOVERY FROM THE INVERTED FLAT SPIN MANEUVER AND MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ELOY
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85231
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELOY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E60
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 1513
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 855
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42030
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N104KF
NTSB Number LAX90FA135
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 GARDNER
Aircraft Model PITTS S-1
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S-1
Aircraft Serial Number FH-1
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 13 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 420
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FERGUSON, KENNETH M
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1826 KENT AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CHANDLER
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85224
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FERGUSON, KENNETH M.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1862 KENT AVENUE
Operator City CHANDLER
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85224
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1822
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --