Pitts SPECIAL S-1C N507LS

Summary

On 19 February 1983 at about 16:30 local time, a Pitts SPECIAL S-1C registered N507LS was involved in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

19 February 1983 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Petersburg, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.7399, -82.6903

Aircraft

Pitts SPECIAL S-1C

Registration

N507LS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Petersburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA83FLD01

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THIS WAS THE PLT'S 2ND FLT IN HIS HOME BUILT ACFT. DURING HIS PREFLIGHT, HE CHECKED THE SIGHT GAUGE FOR FUEL, BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANK. THE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 17 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING. DURING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND RAN ONLY A FEW SECONDS WHEN A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, A CRASH LANDING WAS MADE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD INCORPORATED AN ON/OFF VALVE IN A FUEL LINE TO THE SIGHT GAUGE, SO HE COULD TURN IT OFF IF A FUEL LEAK OCCURRED IN THE GAUGE SYSTEM. HE REPORTED THAT EARLIER, HE HAD TURNED THE VALVE OFF & HAD FORGOTTEN IT, THUS TRAPPING FUEL IN THE GAUGE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD ABOUT 3 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE TOOKOFF.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.