20220806020311A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1S · Erwinna, PA · August 6, 2022

Date: August 6, 2022 · 13:22 local
Place: Erwinna, PA
Airport: Vansant Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Collision on the ground
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N49310
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA22LA364
Reported as: Aerotek Pitts Special S-1S
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,820 total8 in this make and model106 in the last 90 days

N49310Registration cancelled Aug 16, 2024 · Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1SS/N KA-103 · Built 1982 Airframe modelAerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1S Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

This accident was due to a ground collision between two aircraft. The pilot of the pitts, (this report AEA0522020) stated that he made a radio call that he was departing runway 23. On rotation, the pitts right wing struck the right wing of a waco (report AEA0522021) that crossed runway 23 as it was taxing from the FBO ramp to intersecting runway 25. The pilot in the waco stated that he heard the pitts transmission that he was departing runway 23, but it didn?t ?click? That the pitts was departing runway 23 since that runway is used for gliders. Contributing factors were the restricted forward view in the pitts during take-off due to the attitude of the aircraft, the restricted views in the waco due to it being a biplane, and the restricted runway view due to the sloping grass runways.

As the FAA filed it

THIS ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO A GROUND COLLISION BETWEEN TWO AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OF THE PITTS, (THIS REPORT AEA0522020) STATED THAT HE MADE A RADIO CALL THAT HE WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 23. ON ROTATION, THE PITTS RIGHT WING STRUCK THE RIGHT WING OF A WACO (REPORT AEA0522021) THAT CROSSED RUNWAY 23 AS IT WAS TAXING FROM THE FBO RAMP TO INTERSECTING RUNWAY 25. THE PILOT IN THE WACO STATED THAT HE HEARD THE PITTS TRANSMISSION THAT HE WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 23, BUT IT DIDN?T ?CLICK? THAT THE PITTS WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 23 SINCE THAT RUNWAY IS USED FOR GLIDERS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE RESTRICTED FORWARD VIEW IN THE PITTS DURING TAKE-OFF DUE TO THE ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE RESTRICTED VIEWS IN THE WACO DUE TO IT BEING A BIPLANE, AND THE RESTRICTED RUNWAY VIEW DUE TO THE SLOPING GRASS RUNWAYS.

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 ERA22LA364Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportErwinna, PAThe inability of both pilots to see and avoid the collision. Contributing to the accident was the pilot of the red airplane’s decision to utilize the converging runway for takeoff, contrary to the guidance published in the airport facility directory. Also…Aug 6, 2022 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage