Amateur-built SPECIAL S2C accident near Ellendale, Delaware, January 15, 1991
On January 15, 1991 at about 3:52 pm local time, a amateur-built SPECIAL S2C, registered N484MH, was destroyed in an accident near Ellendale, Delaware. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOVER FROM AN AEROBATIC MANUEVER IN TIME TO AVOID INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1991 · about 3:52 pm local time
- Place
- Ellendale, Delaware · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SPECIAL S2C SPECIAL S2
- Registration
- N484MH · registry record · serial 001MH
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS DOING AEROBATIC MANUEVERS WHEN IT CRASHED. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 2000 FEET MSL WHEN HE SAW THE AIRPLANE ROLL TWO AND ONE HALF TIMES, FINISHING IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE THEN ENTERED A FLAT SPIN BEFORE IT PITCHED DOWN AND DESCENDED. THE WITNESS STATED THE AIRPLANE STOPPED SPINNING AND WAS BEGINNING TO LEVEL WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF AIRCRAFT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND DID NOT RECALL THE DETAILS OF THE FLIGHT.
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: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from SBY, 999 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.