Pitts S-1 accident near Charlevoix, Michigan, August 25, 1987
On August 25, 1987 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Pitts S-1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N76SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlevoix, Michigan (Charlevoix Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 25, 1987 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Charlevoix, Michigan · Charlevoix Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1, amateur-built · all S-1s on the register
- Registration
- N76SC · registry record · serial 1001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ON A SHORT SOD STRIP WITH A CROSS WIND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL WHEN EXCESSIVE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER LANDING HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ACFT ASSUMED ABOUT A 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND THE WHEEL PANTS DUG IN WHICH TRIPPED THE ACFT. THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED REARWARD AND THE PROP STRUCK THE GROUND, AS THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT OPERATED HEAVY ACFT FOR A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE AND HAD LIMITED TIME IN THE TYPE ACFT. HE RECOMMENDED USING LESS BRAKING AND A LONG RWY FOR LANDING.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,364 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 278 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 9,200 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 456 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1987; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,310 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from TVC, 37 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.
Other NTSB records under N76SC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.