Pitts S-1C accident near Clearwater, Florida, October 25, 1987
On October 25, 1987 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Pitts S-1C, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N14SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Air Park 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
- October 25, 1987 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Air Park
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1C, amateur-built · all S-1Cs on the register
- Registration
- N14SH · registry record · serial 077183254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT ON LANDING ROLL, AS HE ADDED POWER TO GO AROUND, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, RAN OFF THE RUNWAY, FLIPPED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE TORQUE OF THE RELATIVELY POWERFUL ENGINE ADDED TO THE CONTROL PROBLEMS IN THIS SHORT FUSELAGE TAIL WHEEL ACFT WHICH IS PRONE TO TURNING AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN THE RUDDER IS LESS EFFECTIVE DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDING. THE TURNING IS LESS NOTICABLE TO THE PLT WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL IS ON THE GROUND DUE TO THE NOSE OF THE ACFT BLOCKING THE FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE PLT HAD LIMITED FLT EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE ACFT.
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: 149 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1987; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 pm from PIE
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.