Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Francis, Kansas 67756
Sunday, November 18, 1990 15:10 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY THREE WITNESSES DOING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS AT LOW ALTITUDE FOR FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES DESCRIBE THE AIRPLANE'S LAST MANEUVER AS A VERTICAL CLIMB UNTIL IT STOPPED AND FELL OFF INTO AN INVERTED SPIN. THEY ALL CONCLUDE THEIR STATEMENTS WITH THE IMPRESSION THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A RECOVERY FROM THE SPIN WHEN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ST. FRANCIS
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67756
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 11
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 Unknown
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 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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
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) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1700
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43192
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53RB
NTSB Number CHI91DCQ01
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 ROBERT BRESSLER
Aircraft Model PITTS S-1E
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S-1E
Aircraft Serial Number 8-0048
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 Aug 29 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 57
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. W. BRESSLER/R. L. YOUNG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 210 E 4TH
Aircraft Owner City BIRD CITY
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67731
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRESSLER, ROBERT W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 210 EAST 4TH
Operator City BIRD CITY
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 67731
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 5K0
Departure City BIRD CITY
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 --