Amateur-built PITTS S-1 accident near Eloy, Arizona, April 4, 1990
On April 4, 1990 at about 1:35 am local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1, registered N104KF, was destroyed in an accident near Eloy, Arizona (Eloy airport). It was an instructional 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 DELAYED THE RECOVERY FROM THE INVERTED FLAT SPIN MANEUVER AND MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1990 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Eloy, Arizona · Eloy
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-1
- Registration
- N104KF · registry record · serial FH-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING AEROBATICS FOR AN UPCOMING AIRSHOW. HE LANDED AT ELOY ARPT AFTER HE HAD COMPLETED ONE ACROBATIC SEQUENCE. THE AIRSHOW'S NARRATOR, AN EMINENTLY QUALIFIED ACROBATIC PERFORMER, TOLD THE PILOT THAT HIS RECOVERY FROM THE FINAL INVERTED FLAT SPIN MANEUVER BEGAN AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE. THE PLT TOLD THE NARRATOR THAT HE INTENDED TO USE AN OIL FILLED SMOKE SOLUTION DURING THE RECOVERY FROM THE FLAT SPIN MANEUVER. THE NARRATOR CAUTIONED THE PLT AGAINST USING SMOKE DURING THE MANEUVER, BUT THE PLT STATED THAT IT ENHANCED THE MANEUVER FROM A SPACTATOR POINT OF VIEW. THE PLT DEPARTED ELOY AND BEGAN ANOTHER ACROBATIC SEQUENCE. THE PLT ENTERED THE FINAL MANEUVER, AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN WITH THE SMOKE ON. THIS TIME HOWEVER HE BEGAN THE RECOVERY AT 500 FT, ABT 300 FT LOWER THAN HIS PREVIOUS RECOVERY. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OUT TO THE RT-SIDE-UP POSITION, BUT THE AIRSPEED WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ARREST THE RAPID VERTICAL SPEED DESCENT. THE WRECKAGE EXAM DSCLSD NO EVIDENCE OF ANY AIRPLANE/ENG. MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,138 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,379 as pilot in command; 358 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1989; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.