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20020925037989A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Amtr PITTSS2C · Sheridan, IN · September 25, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 25, 2002 · 15:08 local
Place
Sheridan, IN
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N116PS
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI02FA294
Reported as
Amtr PITTSS2C
Reported engine
Lycoming AEIO540D4A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
5,000 total280 in this make and model90 in the last 90 days
N116PSRegistration cancelled Jul 19, 2017 · Aviat S-2CS/N 6020 · Built 1999Airframe modelAviat S-2CEngine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) On September 25, 2002, at 1708 central daylight time, an Aviat S-2C, N116PS, operated by fly aerobatic, was destroyed on impact with terrain during an aerobatic flight near Sheridan, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 local flight was not operating on a flight plan. The certified flight instructor and private pilot were fatally injured. The flight originated from the terry airport, indianapolis, Indiana, at 1655. A witness reported observing the airplane perform aerobatic maneuvers adjacent to the accident site for approx. five minutes prior to the accident. He stated that the airplane climbed to approx. 1,500-2,000 feet above the ground in a "pure vertical maneuver" which ended in a tail slide. The airplane then fell backwards towards the ground for approx. 200 feet and began to spin inverted for approx. 6-10 turns. He stated that the "pilots were struggling with power trying to overcome the spin (stall)." He added the airplane broke out of the "stall-spin."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2002, AT 1708 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AVIAT S-2C, N116PS, OPERATED BY FLY AEROBATIC, WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN DURING AN AEROBATIC FLIGHT NEAR SHERIDAN, INDIANA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 LOCAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PRIVATE PILOT WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE TERRY AIRPORT, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AT 1655. A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE PERFORM AEROBATIC MANEUVERS ADJACENT TO THE ACCIDENT SITE FOR APPROX. FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO APPROX. 1,500-2,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN A "PURE VERTICAL MANEUVER" WHICH ENDED IN A TAIL SLIDE. THE AIRPLANE THEN FELL BACKWARDS TOWARDS THE GROUND FOR APPROX. 200 FEET AND BEGAN TO SPIN INVERTED FOR APPROX. 6-10 TURNS. HE STATED THAT THE "PILOTS WERE STRUGGLING WITH POWER TRYING TO OVERCOME THE SPIN (STALL)." HE ADDED THE AIRPLANE BROKE OUT OF THE "STALL-SPIN."

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 CHI02FA294Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSheridan, INThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude and airspeed while performing an aerobatic maneuver. Contributing factors were the pilot-in-command exceeding the aircraft weight and balance, and his inadequate preflight planning/preparation.Sep 25, 2002 · Destroyed