Thermal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thermal, California 92274
Monday, June 11, 1990 9:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE PRECEDING WEEK THE PILOT HAD BEEN REGULARLY PRACTICING AEROBATICS. DURING THE PRECEDING 6 MONTHS THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED 15 HOURS OF AEROBATICS INSTRUCTION. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT DEPARTED THERMAL AIRPORT TO PRACTICE AEROBATICS. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE FOLLOWING DAY. GROUND SCARS AND WRECKAGE EXAMINATION INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN INVERTED, WINGS LEVEL, 75 DEG NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE, AND AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH VELOCITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE DURING AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 955
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City THERMAL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92274
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport THERMAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TRM
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 117
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) 24
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) --
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) 1322
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42634
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29MC
NTSB Number LAX90FA219
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 Aerotek
Aircraft Model PITTS S2A
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S2A
Aircraft Serial Number 2095
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 997
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NINE ONE SEVENTY, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 70525 AURORA ROAD
Aircraft Owner City DESERT HOT SPRG
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92240
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 --