Amateur-built PITTS S1E accident near Somers, New York, September 24, 1995
On September 24, 1995 at about 6:36 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S1E, registered N27920, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somers, New York. 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
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT, WHICH RESULTED HIS FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE POWER LINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1995 · about 6:36 pm local time
- Place
- Somers, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S1E
- Registration
- N27920 · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED, 'WHILE I WAS FLYING OVER WESTCHESTER, I SAW THE WATER AND WENT DOWN TO GET A CLOSER LOOK....I HEARD A LOUD BANG, LIKE A HAMMER. I LOOKED OVER AT MY WING AND NOTICED DAMAGE....I PUT THE PLANE DOWN ON THE WATER....I EXPERIENCED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WHILE I WAS FLYING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIT THE PLANE.' THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, 'DURING A DESCENT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN OBJECT, SUBSEQUENTLY CONFIRMED TO BE A POWER LINE.' ADDITIONALLY, AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, A 46000 VOLT, 3/4 INCH DIAMETER POWER LINE HAD SEPARATED AND HAD DROPPED IN A RESERVOIR. AS A RESULT OF THE POWER LINE STRIKING THE WATER, THREE PERSONS WERE EJECTED FROM THEIR BOAT. TWO OF THE PERSONS DID NOT SURVIVE. THE SURVIVOR, WHO SWAM ASHORE, REPORTED HE FELT ELECTRICAL SHOCKS THROUGHOUT HIS BODY WHILE HE WAS IN THE WATER. ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVOR, HE NOTICED THE NON-SURVIVORS SWIMMING TOWARD HIM WITH 'WAVES OF BLUE ELECTRICITY IN THE WATER.' POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 4,450 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1995; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 6:30 pm
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from HPN, 7 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.