Pitts Special S-1C accident near San Carlos, California, October 24, 1995
On October 24, 1995 at about 3:06 pm local time, a Pitts Special S-1C, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N9060N, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudged landing approach, failure to achieve the proper touchdown point, and his delayed decision to abort the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1995 · about 3:06 pm local time
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts Special S-1C, amateur-built · all S-1Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9060N · no longer on the register · serial 18
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he touched down just past the tower (midfield on the 2,600-foot-long runway) and realized that he would be unable to stop before reaching the end of the runway. He applied full throttle but did not get an immediate response. After some delay he heard the engine accelerate, but he was unable to avoid striking an 8-foot-high pile of rocks about 200 feet from the end of the runway. After striking the rocks, the aircraft descended until impacting the water in an inverted attitude about 800 feet from the end of the runway. The aircraft and engine were examined and no discrepancies were found.
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: 215 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 137 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1995; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:06 pm from SQL
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.