Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB CEN19FA270
Pitts S2 — New Orleans, LA
| Date | August 16, 2019 |
| Location | New Orleans, LA |
| Aircraft | Pitts S2 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach-VFR pattern downwind Loss of control in flight |
| Pilot age | 69 |
| Pilot total time | 20,000 hrs · High time |
| Time in type | 1,200 hrs |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined
What happened
The passenger, a TV news anchor, was filming a documentary on the pilot, which included a local flight in the pilot's aerobatic airplane. The airplane departed and turned onto the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern. The pilot requested to return to the airport but did not specify the reason for the return. A witness described the airplane as, “unstable” and “wiggling,” and said that the engine was sputtering before the airplane impacted the ground and burst into flames.
The airplane impacted terrain in an approximate 45° nose-down pitch attitude and was consumed by a post-impact fire. Examination of the flight controls and engine did not reveal any obvious pre-impact anomalies, although severe fire damage precluded complete examination. The wooden propeller blades were severely fractured and splintered, consistent with powered rotation at the time of impact. The reason for the loss of control and impact with terrain could not be determined based on the available information.