Pitts S1-SP N44GP

Summary

On 8 May 1983 at about 18:30 local time, a Pitts S1-SP registered N44GP was involved in an accident near Wetumpka, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 May 1983 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Wetumpka, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Wetumpka Muni. (08A)

Coordinates

32.5398, -86.1998

Aircraft

Pitts S1-SP

Registration

N44GP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL83LA181

Nobody was 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

THE ACFT EXPERIENCED AN INFLT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF ITS UPPER WING DURING AEROBATICS IN AN AIR SHOW. THE ACFT WAS LANDEDSAFELY AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE UPPER WING LEADING EDGE RIBS REPORTEDLY COLLAPSED AS THE PILOT BEGAN TO PULL UP AT THE BEGINNING OF AN EIGHT-SIDED LOOP AT ABOUT 200 KTS. AN FAA OBSERVER REPORTED THAT ABOUT 60% OF THE UPPER WING FABRIC THEN PEELED REARWARD AND SEPARATED. THE PILOT 'ABORTED THE SHOW' AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EXAMINATION BY AN FAA INSPECTOR AND THE OWNER REVEALED THAT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE UPPER WING HAD COLLAPSED REARWARD TOTHE FRONT SPAR WITH ALL NOSE RIBS BROKEN. THIS ACFT IS ONE OF TWO WITH 'KERMIT WEEKS' WINGS. THE FAILURE DESCRIBED HAS ALSO HAPPENED WITH THE OTHER ACFT. BOTH ACFT UPPER WINGS HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTED OF LIGHTER WEIGHT MATERIALS WITH EMPHASIS ON IMPROVED PERFORMANCE. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS ACCIDENT THE WING WAS REBUILT WITH STRONGER MATERIALS TO WITHSTAND HIGHER LOADS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.