Pitts S-1 accident near Atmore, Alabama, May 24, 1986
On May 24, 1986 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Pitts S-1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N83JW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atmore, Alabama (Atmore airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- May 24, 1986 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Atmore, Alabama · Atmore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1, amateur-built · all S-1s on the register
- Registration
- N83JW · registry record · serial 83-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED ALMOST VERTICALLY FROM APRX 250/300 FT AGL AFTER ROLLING INVERTED AT THE COMPLETION OF A DOUBLE SNAP ROLL TO THE RT. THE ACFT SLOWED DURING THE ROLLS AND APPEARED TO BE TOO SLOW TO CONTROL THE STOPPING OF THE ROLLS. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO ROLL ONTO ITS BACK AND NOSED DOWN TO DESCEND TO GROUND IMPACT. THE ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING FULL POWER THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES. THE ALT WAS TOO LOW FOR AN EFFECTIVE RECOVERY BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTIONS OR DEFECTS OF A CONTRIBUTORY NATURE IN THE ACFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 89 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,900 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.