Amateur-built PITTS S1-S accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa, September 7, 1992
On September 7, 1992 at about 7:32 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S1-S, registered N90LB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa (Council Bluffs Muni Airpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AEROBATIC FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1992 · about 7:32 pm local time
- Place
- Council Bluffs, Iowa · Council Bluffs Muni Airpt
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S1-S
- Registration
- N90LB · registry record · serial CH1977
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS PERFORMING A LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC ROUTINE AT AN AIRSHOW. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER A FLAT SPIN FOLLOWING A VERTICAL CLIMB. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE SPIN ROTATION BUT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO LEVEL FORWARD FLIGHT BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 616 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1992; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Parmley Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CBF at 7:15 pm
- Destination: CBF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from OMA, 1 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.