# Accident 19990522022439A: Amtr PITTSSPECS1S, Merced, CA, May 22, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 22, 1999, 14:30 local time - Place: Merced, CA - Airport: Merced Municipal/Mac Ready - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.3499° N, 120.4210° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3499&lon=-120.4210&mi=10 - Aircraft: N93J (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: AMTR PITTSSPECS1S - Reported engine: LYC IO360B4A - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,222 total, 140 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA193) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990522022439A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MAY 22, 1999, AT 1430 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROTEK PITTS SPECIAL S-1S, N93J, GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING AT THE MERCED, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE MERCED AIRPORT ABOUT 1400, AND WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS TO RUNWAY 30. HE STATED THAT ON THE LAST LANDING THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED. HE ADDED POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE WINGTIPS AND PROPELLER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ABOUT 150 FEET NORTHWEST OF THE 1,000-FOOT RUNWAY MARKER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAS NO MEMORY OF THE AIRCRAFT'S MOVEMENTS AFTER HE ADDED POWER. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, ANOTHER PILOT HEARD THE CRASH AND HELPED THE PILOT EGRESS FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE VARIABLE AT 4 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. HE STATED THAT ON THE LAST LANDING THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED. HE DECIDED TO DO A GO-AROUND AND ADDED POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE POWER CAME UP AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT DIDN'T CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE THEN VEERED ABOUT 10 TO 20 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND CUT THE POWER. THE WINGTIPS AND PROPELLER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ABOUT 150 FEET NORTHWEST OF THE 1,000-FOOT RUNWAY MARKER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAS NO MEMORY OF THE EVENTS FOLLOWING THE REDUCTION OF POWER UNTIL ANOTHER PERSON ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, ANOTHER PILOT HEARD THE CRASH AND HELPED THE PILOT EGRESS FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE VARIABLE AT 4 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23)THE PILOT OF THE PITS SPECIAL HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS THIRD AEROBATICS PRACTICE FOR THE DAT AND RETURNED TO MCE FOR A NORMAL LANDING TO RWY 30. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDING, IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED IN TO THE AIR. THEN, THE PILOT INCREASED POWER TO THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, AND CRASH LANDED 300 FEET SOUTHWEST OF THE 1000 FOOT MARKER OF RUWY 30. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE: BOTH UPPER WING TIPS SEPARATED FROMT HE AIRPLANE, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THE PROP WAS BENT AND THERE WAS ENGINE COWLING AND FIREWALL DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND TREATED FOR A BROKE CLAVICLE AND A BROKEN LEFT HAND. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX99LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA193), May 22, 1999: Aerotek Pitts Special S-1S (N93J), Merced, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper/inadequate use of the rudders during the attempted recovery from a bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.