Pitts S1C accident near Houston, Texas, June 9, 1991
On June 9, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Pitts S1C, registered N48JP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas. 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 FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S1C · all S1Cs on the register
- Registration
- N48JP · registry record · serial 072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A SERIES OF AEROBATIC MANEUVERS TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NEW TYPE OF COMPOSITE PROPELLER THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER. THE PROPELLER WAS ISSUED WITH A KIT THAT INCLUDED THE MOUNTING BOLTS. THE BOLTS PROVIDED WERE TOO LONG AND BOTTOMED OUT RESULTING IN NO TORQUE BEING APPLIED TO THE PROPELLER. THE PROPELLER WOBBLED, AND THE PROPELLER LAMINATIONS SEPARATED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,065 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 982 as pilot in command; 305 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
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.