Amateur-built STITTS SA3B accident near Winter Haven, Florida, March 1, 1992
On March 1, 1992 at about 11:05 pm local time, a amateur-built STITTS SA3B, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winter Haven, Florida (Winter Haven'S Gilbert airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL CONTAMINATION AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1992 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Winter Haven, Florida · Winter Haven'S Gilbert · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STITTS SA3B STITTS SA3
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial DO-11738
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT, TOOK OFF, FLEW AROUND THE ARPT TRAFFIC PATTERN, LANDED, THEN BOARDED A PAX. THE FLT TOOK OFF AGAIN & THE ENG QUIT WHEN THE FLT WAS APRX 200 FT AGL. THE PLT RESTARTED THE ENG BUT IT WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER. WHILE RETURNING THE ACFT STALLED BUT THE PLT RECOVERED. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE ARPT PROPERTY, HE PULLED UP TO CLEAR OBSTACLES WHICH WERE AHEAD BUT THE ACFT STALLED AGAIN & IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AN ACFT MECHANIC DRAINED A SMALL QUANTITY OF FUEL FROM THE TANK, WHICH WAS TESTED & FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 8,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 19, 1990; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GIF at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from LAL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.