20030913022739A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Ayres S-2C · Mountain View, CA · September 13, 2003

Date: September 13, 2003 · 15:45 local
Place: Mountain View, CA
Airport: Moffett Field Nas
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N57BC
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03CA287
Reported as: Ayres S2C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 21,600 total598 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N57BCRegistration cancelled Dec 1, 2003 · Sky International S-2CS/N 6004 · Built 1998 Airframe modelSky International S-2C Engine modelLycoming AEIO-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 13, 2003, at approximately 1545 local time, the pilot of a pitts S-2C was an air show peformer participating in a "squirrel cage" performance at the Moffett field, CA air expo. While he was executing a series of low altitude slow rolls the left wing came in contact with the runway. The airplane then impacted the runway and skidded to a stop. While performing the roll maneuver the airplane was slowly descending before impact.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 1545 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT OF A PITTS S-2C WAS AN AIR SHOW PEFORMER PARTICIPATING IN A "SQUIRREL CAGE" PERFORMANCE AT THE MOFFETT FIELD, CA AIR EXPO. WHILE HE WAS EXECUTING A SERIES OF LOW ALTITUDE SLOW ROLLS THE LEFT WING CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE RUNWAY AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. WHILE PERFORMING THE ROLL MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE WAS SLOWLY DESCENDING BEFORE IMPACT.

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 LAX03CA287Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportMountain View, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance with the runway during a low altitude aerobatic maneuver.Sep 13, 2003 · Substantial damage