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19971207037391A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Aviat PITTS S-2B · Bozeman, MT · December 7, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 7, 1997 · 14:53 local
Place
Bozeman, MT
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N693SB
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98FA063
Reported as
Aviat PITTSS2B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
1,500 total
N693SBRegistration cancelled Sep 12, 1998 · Christen Industries PITTS S-2BS/N 5108Airframe modelChristen Industries PITTS S-2B

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft collided in mid air with N2664X, pilotsuffered fatal inj and acft was destroyed. Bozeman, MT. (.4)a witness observed an aircraft performing aerobatics near Montana state university campus. Another witness reported seeing a pitts 'tipping its wings (straight on its side) one way, then the other.' This same witness observed the pitts continue north 'doing tricks, when it suddenly went straight down.' A Cessna was flying by gallatin field (Bozeman, MT) on an airway, and reported that he was 7,700 feet mean sea level (MSL) and climbing. A witness observed the Cessna flying eastbound and the pitts closing about a 45 degree angle on the starboard forward quarter. The witness watched both planes for about 5 seconds, until impact 'both planes maintained level flight and neither made any turns or abrupt maneuvers.' Victor airways are low route area navigation tracks which extend upward from 1,200 feet above the surface of the earth to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL. They extend horizontally 4 nautical miles on each side of the airways center line. Aerobatic maneuvers are prohibited over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement and within 4 nautical miles of the center line of any federal airway.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT COLLIDED IN MID AIR WITH N2664X, PILOTSUFFERED FATAL INJ AND ACFT WAS DESTROYED. BOZEMAN, MT. (.4)A WITNESS OBSERVED AN AIRCRAFT PERFORMING AEROBATICS NEAR MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED SEEING A PITTS 'TIPPING ITS WINGS (STRAIGHT ON ITS SIDE) ONE WAY, THEN THE OTHER.' THIS SAME WITNESS OBSERVED THE PITTS CONTINUE NORTH 'DOING TRICKS, WHEN IT SUDDENLY WENT STRAIGHT DOWN.' A CESSNA WAS FLYING BY GALLATIN FIELD (BOZEMAN, MT) ON AN AIRWAY, AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 7,700 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND CLIMBING. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE CESSNA FLYING EASTBOUND AND THE PITTS CLOSING ABOUT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE ON THE STARBOARD FORWARD QUARTER. THE WITNESS WATCHED BOTH PLANES FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS, UNTIL IMPACT 'BOTH PLANES MAINTAINED LEVEL FLIGHT AND NEITHER MADE ANY TURNS OR ABRUPT MANEUVERS.' VICTOR AIRWAYS ARE LOW ROUTE AREA NAVIGATION TRACKS WHICH EXTEND UPWARD FROM 1,200 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH TO, BUT NOT INCLUDING, 18,000 FEET MSL. THEY EXTEND HORIZONTALLY 4 NAUTICAL MILES ON EACH SIDE OF THE AIRWAYS CENTER LINE. AEROBATIC MANEUVERS ARE PROHIBITED OVER ANY CONGESTED AREA OF A CITY, TOWN, OR SETTLEMENT AND WITHIN 4 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTER LINE OF ANY FEDERAL AIRWAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98FA063Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportBozeman, MTThe failure of both pilots to maintain visual lookout. Factors were the pilot of N693SB not following procedures and directives, and the pilot of N693SB using poor judgment.Dec 7, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N2664XCessna P206AAccident 19971207037392A · Destroyed · 2 fatal