Pitts S-1C accident near Kissimmee, Florida, August 5, 1983
On August 5, 1983 at about 11:55 am local time, a Pitts S-1C, registered N77R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida. 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
- August 5, 1983 · about 11:55 am local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1C · all S-1Cs on the register
- Registration
- N77R · registry record · serial 51C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 2000 FT MSL THE ENG LOST PWR. THE PLT RESTARTED THE ENG 3 TIMES BUT WAS FORCED TO LND WHEN IT WOULD NOT DEVELOP PWR. DURING LNDG ROLL IN A COW PASTURE THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE POST, GROUND LOOPED, AND TURNED OUR ON ITS BACK. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FOUND EMPTY HOWEVER THE PLT STATED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SOME FUEL IN THE TANK.
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: 247 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 220 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 1983; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISM Kissimmee FL at 11:35 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from ORL, 13 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.