Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1C accident near Glens Falls, New York, March 5, 1991
On March 5, 1991 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1C, registered N98RL, was destroyed in an accident near Glens Falls, New York (Warren County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF CONTROL ON THE GROUND DUE TO THE IMPROPER OPERATION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE VARIABLE WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1991 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glens Falls, New York · Warren County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS SPECIAL S-1C PITTS SPEC
- Registration
- N98RL · registry record · serial 645H
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FLEW FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THE WIND SOCK SHOWED THE WIND WAS FROM 350 DEGREES. HE RECEIVED A UNICOM ADVISORY THAT THE FAVORED RUNWAY WAS 01. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, THE LEFT WING RAISED AND THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO VEER LEFT AND TIP TO THE RIGHT DESPITE COUNTER CONTROLS. THE RIGHT WING HIT, THEN THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER. AFTER THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER THE WIND SOCK SHOWED THE WIND WAS FROM 210 DEGREES GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE MAXIMUM CROSSWIND COMPONENT FOR THE PITTS SPECIAL IS TWENTY-THREE KNOTS. BETWEEN 1340 TO 1540 FREQUENT MODERATE AND ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 8000 FEET WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WAS FORECAST ON A LINE FROM MONTREAL TO NANTUCKET.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,648 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1990; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFL Glens Falls NY at 5:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.