Pitts SPECIAL S1-S accident near Dekalb, Illinois, November 3, 1990
On November 3, 1990 at about 6:53 pm local time, a Pitts SPECIAL S1-S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N983BW, was destroyed in an accident near Dekalb, Illinois (Dekalb Taylor Muni 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 PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO PERFORM AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AT LOW ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1990 · about 6:53 pm local time
- Place
- Dekalb, Illinois · Dekalb Taylor Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts SPECIAL S1-S SPECIAL S1, amateur-built
- Registration
- N983BW · no longer on the register · serial X
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT REFUELED HIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT AND TALKED WITH ACQUAINTENCES AND SERVICE PERSONNEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. WITNESSES ON THE FLIGHT LINE DESCRIBE A NORMAL TAKEOFF TO LESS THAN 100 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, WHERE THE AIRPLANE PUSHED OVER AND ACCELERATED IN LEVEL FLIGHT. ABEAM THE TERMINAL AND FLIGHT LINE, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED RIGHT TO THE INVERTED POSITION AND PAUSED BEFORE CONTINUING ITS RIGHT ROLL. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK GROUND WITH THE RIGHT WINGTIP SHORT OF A COMPLETE REVOLUTION.
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: 405 hours in all; 27 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 232 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 3, 1990; 15 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Observation at 6:45 pm from DPA, 22 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.
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.