20240825012139A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Fisher Jerald R PITTS S-1 · Santa Paula, CA · August 25, 2024

Date: August 25, 2024 · 12:24 local
Place: Santa Paula, CA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N42JF
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR24FA287
Reported as: Fisher Jerald R Pitts S-1
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport

N42JFRegistered now · Fisher Jerald R PITTS S-1S/N 1 Airframe modelFisher Jerald R PITTS S-1 Engine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

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.

Just after takeoff from szp runway 22 the engine made some loud popping noise like backfires then sounded normal. The pilot then turned crosswind then immediately downwind. On downwind the backfire noise happened again then the engine noise became silent as if the engine quit. The pilot made a quick turn to base, on base he noticed traffic on final, he then turned right to pass behind traffic. The airplane then impacted the ground and caught on fire on impact. The pilot extracted himself from the aircraft but was severely burned over a large portion of his body. The pilot was placed into a medically induced coma so there has not been any pilot interview.

During the post-crash investigation of the aircraft the fuel selector was found to be in a position halfway between the aux. Tank and main fuel tank selection. It can not be determined if the selector was in this position prior to the crash or if the forces of the crash moved the selector into this position.

As the FAA filed it

JUST AFTER TAKEOFF FROM SZP RUNWAY 22 THE ENGINE MADE SOME LOUD POPPING NOISE LIKE BACKFIRES THEN SOUNDED NORMAL. THE PILOT THEN TURNED CROSSWIND THEN IMMEDIATELY DOWNWIND. ON DOWNWIND THE BACKFIRE NOISE HAPPENED AGAIN THEN THE ENGINE NOISE BECAME SILENT AS IF THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A QUICK TURN TO BASE, ON BASE HE NOTICED TRAFFIC ON FINAL, HE THEN TURNED RIGHT TO PASS BEHIND TRAFFIC. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAUGHT ON FIRE ON IMPACT. THE PILOT EXTRACTED HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT BUT WAS SEVERELY BURNED OVER A LARGE PORTION OF HIS BODY. THE PILOT WAS PLACED INTO A MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY PILOT INTERVIEW.

DURING THE POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE IN A POSITION HALFWAY BETWEEN THE AUX. TANK AND MAIN FUEL TANK SELECTION. IT CAN NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE SELECTOR WAS IN THIS POSITION PRIOR TO THE CRASH OR IF THE FORCES OF THE CRASH MOVED THE SELECTOR INTO THIS POSITION.

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 WPR24FA287Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · FieldFinal reportSanta Paula, CAThe total loss of engine power at low altitude for reasons that could not be determined.Aug 25, 2024 · Destroyed

Other reports on N42JF · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19821107057069AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · San Andreas, CACrash occurred during emergency landing after engine quit from fuel exhaustion.Nov 7, 1982 · Reported as Amtrpt PITTSSPECS1C · Destroyed