Stanton PITTS S-1S N90HS

Summary

On 8 August 1999 at about 15:48 local time, a Stanton PITTS S-1S registered N90HS was involved in an accident near Coushatta, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 August 1999 at 15:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Coushatta, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Red River Airport (0R7)

Coordinates

32.0198, -93.3397

Aircraft

Stanton PITTS S-1S

Registration

N90HS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW99FA212

1 person died.

The pilot's poor in-flight decision to perform aerobatics at a low altitude and slow airspeed, resulting in the inadvertent stall/spin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The amateur-built aerobatic airplane entered a spin and impacted the ground after the pilot attempted two snap rolls prior to landing, while at a low altitude and at a slow airspeed. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot told three aerobatic pilot rated witnesses that he was going to attempt two consecutive snap rolls prior to landing. The witnesses tried to talk the pilot out of the idea, stating that he would not have enough altitude or energy to complete the maneuver. The witnesses stated that after the pilot completed a half Cuban 8, 'he pulled the power to idle and then made a left roll to upright, followed by a snap roll to the right.' According to the witnesses, during the entry of the second snap roll, 'the airplane was low on energy and low in altitude and the airplane entered a nose down spin.' The airplane was observed making two turns in the spin before impacting the trees in a nose down attitude. No pre-impact anomalies were noted during the examination of the wreckage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.