Pitts S-2A accident near Green Cove Spr., Florida, September 15, 1983
On September 15, 1983 at about 4:00 am local time, a Pitts S-2A, registered N80041, was substantially damaged in an accident near Green Cove Spr., Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- September 15, 1983 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Green Cove Spr., Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-2A · all S-2As on the register
- Registration
- N80041 · registry record · serial 2086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND WAS DESTROYED DURING A PLEASURE FLT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE IN A STEEP LEFT BANK, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT AND FORWARD SPEED. THE ACFT BOUNCED ABOUT 15 FT INTO THE AIR AND CARTWHEELED 50 FT INTO A WOODED AREA. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE ANY PRE-IMPACT 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,056 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1983; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AE10-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Green Cove Spr. FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from NIP, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.