Pitts Special S-1 accident near Ocala, Florida, October 17, 1990
On October 17, 1990 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Pitts Special S-1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N1235, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocala, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXPERIENCCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A SPIN MANEUVER AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1990 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts Special S-1, amateur-built · all S-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1235 · registry record · serial 51667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS FOR AN UPCOMING COMPETITION. THE PILOT'S ROUTINE INCLUDED A SPIN MANEUVER WHICH REQUIRED TWO TURNS. ACCORDING TO A FRIEND, THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTY WITH SPIN ENTRY. THIS SPIN ENTRY WAS SHARPER AND THE NOSE WAS TUCKED APPROXIMATE 60 DEGREES INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 45 DEGREES OF NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 8 TURNS THE WITNESS REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE ADJACENT TO THE SOD RUNWAY. THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE EXAMINATIONS FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR COMPONENT FAILURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 589 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 414 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:50 pm from 0CF, 15 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL91FA005.