Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S1C accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, August 11, 1995
On August 11, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S1C, registered N1270, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE APPLICATION OF RUDDER CONTROL, AS HE YAWED THE AIRPLANE TO SEE AHEAD DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND A SUBSEQUENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ANIMAL (MOOSE) AND HIGH VEGETATION (BUSHES) NEAR THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S1C PITTS SPEC
- Registration
- N1270 · no longer on the register · serial 6766
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS BACK TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF ON THE RUNWAY, HE NOTICED A MOOSE STANDING ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. HE ALIGNED THE AIRPLANE FOR TAKEOFF. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 25 MPH DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT 'SWERVED' THE AIRPLANE TO SEE THE MOOSE AROUND THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY, AND BEFORE HE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED, IT WENT OFF THE RUNWAY INTO ALDER BUSHES AND NOSED OVER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1994; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Z15 Birchwood AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:57 pm from TKA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.