Inter County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Irwin, Pennsylvania 15642
Thursday, September 10, 1987 18:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT JUST AFTER TAKEOFF HIS LEFT FOOT BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE LEFT RUDDER CONTROLS AND THE RUDDER JAMMED. THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT BANK WHICH THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT; THE LEFT WING STRUCK TREES AND THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT. INADVERTENT USE OF THE RUDDER CONTROLS WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City IRWIN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15642
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport INTER COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1250
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1235
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2668
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41879
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N290RW
NTSB Number NYC87DGM03
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 WOODY
Aircraft Model PITTS S1
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S1
Aircraft Serial Number RW-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 950
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 Sep 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 4
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD J. WOODY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1346 HILDA AVE.
Aircraft Owner City EAST MCKEESPORT
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1814
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 Takeoff
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 27
Runway Length 1880
Runway Width 130
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --