Pitts S1C N177J

Summary

On 4 December 1999 at about 22:10 local time, a Pitts S1C registered N177J was involved in an accident near Creedmore, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 December 1999 at 22:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Creedmore, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

36.1198, -78.6803

Aircraft

Pitts S1C

Registration

N177J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kinston → Roxboro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MIA00LA039

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to select the reserve position of the fuel tank resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a nose over during a forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was in the process of diverting to a field short of his intended destination because of impending nightfall on a planned cross country flight when he sustained a loss of power due to fuel starvation. He performed an emergency descent and landing to a clear furrowed farm field, but as he got closer to touchdown, he realized his choice of landing into the wind put his landing roll across the furrows, and the airplane sustained a nose over. Post crash investigation revealed the normal fuel source had been exhausted, but fuel remained in the reserve compartment of the fuel tank.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.