Pitts SPECIAL S2A accident near Apex, North Carolina, March 10, 1984
On March 10, 1984 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Pitts SPECIAL S2A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N83798, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apex, North Carolina (Cox Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1984 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Apex, North Carolina · Cox Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts SPECIAL S2A SPECIAL S2, amateur-built
- Registration
- N83798 · no longer on the register · serial 20935
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING AND DAMAGED A BRAKE. DURING THE SECOND LANDING THE BRAKES WERE FOUND TO BE MALFUNCTIONING AND AS THE RUDDER BECAME INEFFECTUAL THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A HANGER. THE OWNER OF THE ACFT WAS IMPROPERLY ACTING AS AN INSTRUCTOR TO A PRIVATE PLT. THE OWNER WAS NOT A CFI.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,235 hours in all; 405 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 474 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.