Pitts Special S-1C accident near Latrobe, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1982
On April 21, 1982 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Pitts Special S-1C, registered N1750, was substantially damaged in an accident near Latrobe, Pennsylvania (Westmoreland County 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 21, 1982 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Latrobe, Pennsylvania · Westmoreland County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts Special S-1C · all S-1Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1750 · no longer on the register · serial 1JJP
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF IN WINDS THAT WERE GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS. AS HE RAISED THE TAIL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PLANE SWERVED RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE OVERCORRECTED TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SKIPPED SEVERAL TIMES AND BECAME AIRBORNE. HE HELD THE WINGS LEVEL IN A 3-POINT ATTITUDE TO CLEAR SOME TREES. AS HE PASSED OVER THE TREES, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. AT THIS POINT, HE CHOPPED THE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,896 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 6,021 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 384 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBE Latrobe PA at 4:37 pm
- Destination: Rostraver PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 117°F (47°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.