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20140812015089A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Christen Industries PITTS S-2B · Sarasota, FL · August 12, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 12, 2014 · 11:50 local
Place
Sarasota, FL
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N50XV
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA14LA383
Reported as
Christen Industries Pitts S-2B
Reported engine
Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
21,625 total196 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days
N50XVRegistration cancelled Jul 26, 2016 · Christen Industries PITTS S-2BS/N 5109 · Built 1987Airframe modelChristen Industries PITTS S-2BEngine modelLycoming AEIO-540-D4A5Reciprocating

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.

On 8/12/2014 the pilot was operating aircraft N50XV and he departed Sarasota airport at around 11:05 am accompanied by a passenger. The pilot stated they departed Sarasota airport heading south towards venice airport. They were in the air doing some aerobatic maneuvers for about 45 minutes when the pilot decided to head back to Sarasota airport. The pilot stated that they were flying at about 5000 ft and about half a mile from shore parallel to siesta key when the engine quit. The pilot tried to restart the engine but it would not start, at that point he declared mayday on frequency 119.65 and decided to land the aircraft on the beach. As they approach siesta key beach he saw unbrellas on the beach and decided to turn south to avoid any people on the beach. He landed the aircraft on an empty beach on the rear of privacy data omitted. The aircraft landed on the sand and turned to the right side towards the water. The aircraft flipped over and ended upside down in the water line. The pilot and passenger got out the aircraft with only minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON 8/12/2014 THE PILOT WAS OPERATING AIRCRAFT N50XV AND HE DEPARTED SARASOTA AIRPORT AT AROUND 11:05 AM ACCOMPANIED BY A PASSENGER. THE PILOT STATED THEY DEPARTED SARASOTA AIRPORT HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS VENICE AIRPORT. THEY WERE IN THE AIR DOING SOME AEROBATIC MANEUVERS FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES WHEN THE PILOT DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO SARASOTA AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE FLYING AT ABOUT 5000 FT AND ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM SHORE PARALLEL TO SIESTA KEY WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT IT WOULD NOT START, AT THAT POINT HE DECLARED MAYDAY ON FREQUENCY 119.65 AND DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON THE BEACH. AS THEY APPROACH SIESTA KEY BEACH HE SAW UNBRELLAS ON THE BEACH AND DECIDED TO TURN SOUTH TO AVOID ANY PEOPLE ON THE BEACH. HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON AN EMPTY BEACH ON THE REAR OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE SAND AND TURNED TO THE RIGHT SIDE TOWARDS THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND ENDED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WATER LINE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER GOT OUT THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES.

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 ERA14LA383Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSarasota, FLA total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from the flight instructor's inadequate preflight fuel planning.Aug 12, 2014 · Substantial damage