Pitts S1S accident near San Jose, California, January 16, 1983
On January 16, 1983 at about 8:24 pm local time, a Pitts S1S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N15HR, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 16, 1983 · about 8:24 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S1S, amateur-built · all S1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N15HR · registry record · serial 004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A ROLLING TAKEOFF AND APPARENTLY LOCKED THE TAILWHEEL WHILE TURNING. DURING LATER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND GROUND-LOOPED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO MUD WHERE IT FLIPPED OVER. THE TAILWHEEL WAS LOCKED OUT OF DETENT AND WAS UNABLE TO TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 1,669 hours in all; 613 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 14,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1983; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 003 San Andreas CA at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31L, 3,099 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:24 pm from RHV
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 N15HR 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.