Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1 accident near Lancaster, Ohio, August 8, 1987
On August 8, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1, registered N52LA, was destroyed in an accident near Lancaster, Ohio (Fairfield). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
- August 8, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Ohio · Fairfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1 PITTS SPEC
- Registration
- N52LA · no longer on the register · serial 329H
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N52LA WAS BEING FLOWN IN A 2-ACFT ACROBATIC DEMONSTRATION (DEMO). AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLTS BGN THE DEMO BY PASSING EACH OTHER IN A LOW ALT KNIFE EDGE MANEUVER OVER THE RWY. AFTER PASSING, THEY ROLLED INVERTED, UNTIL NEAR THE ENDS OF THE RWY, THEN ROLLED UPRIGHT & BGN A STEEP CLIMB. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT WHEN N52LA WAS IN THE CLIMB, HE 'HEARD SOME MISSING FROM THE ENGINE.' RPRTDLY, THE ACFT THEN STALLED, ENTERED A VERTICAL DSCNT & BGN SPINNING. IT IMPACTED THE GND NR THE DEP END OF RWY 10. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. THE PLT POSSESSED A VALID STATEMENT OF ACROBATIC COMPETENCY & HAD PERFORMED IN A NUMBER OF AIRSHOWS IN THE PREVIOUS 3 YRS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,394 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,019 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.