Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1 accident near Sebring, Florida, April 28, 1983
On April 28, 1983 at about 2:00 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1, registered N57WC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sebring, Florida (Sebring 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 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
- April 28, 1983 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · Sebring · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1 PITTS SPEC
- Registration
- N57WC · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED BEHIND A PIPER NAVAJO AND ROLLED RIGHT AND LEFT STRIKING BOTH WING TIPS BEFORE NOSING OVER. THE PILOT BELIEVES SHE ENCOUNTERED VORTEX TURBULENCE FROM THE PIPER NAVAJO WHICH LANDED IN FRONT OF HER. THE WEATHER WAS VMCAND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
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: 407 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 360 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 am from SRQ, 64 miles away
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.