# NTSB ERA14CA379: Aviat Pitts S2B, N893DC, Lakeville, NY, August 9, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 9, 2014, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place: Lakeville, NY
- Coordinates: 42.826389, -77.714447 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8264&lon=-77.7144&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 9, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89854
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA379
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89854/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89854
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA379

## Probable cause

The pilot's decision to favor the right side of the relatively narrow turf runway while landing, resulting in inadvertent contact with tall grass and a berm.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Christen Industries PITTS S-2B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2210006), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Christen Industries PITTS S-2B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2210006), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Christen Industries PITTS S-2B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2210006), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: debris/dirt/foreign object](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Christen Industries PITTS S-2B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md?model=2210006), [All aircraft, 101 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Christen Industries PITTS S-2B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2210006), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the aerobatic, tailwheel-equipped biplane planned to attend a fly-in event at the destination airport. As he overflew the 2,500-foot-long by 60-foot-wide private turf runway, he noted that numerous airplanes were parked along its left side, and elected to favor the right side of the runway during the landing. During the landing roll the pilot felt a "tickle" in the control stick, and the airplane veered right into the tall grass and berm located along the runway's right edge. The airplane subsequently rolled left and right, striking both wingtips on the ground in the process, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The pilot of the aerobatic, tailwheel-equipped biplane planned to attend a fly-in event at the destination airport. As he overflew the 2,500-foot-long by 60-foot-wide private turf runway, he noted that numerous airplanes were parked along its left side, and elected to favor the right side of the runway during the landing. During the landing roll the pilot felt a "tickle" in the control stick, and the airplane veered right into the tall grass and berm located along the runway's right edge. The airplane subsequently rolled left and right, striking both wingtips on the ground in the process, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N893DC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N893DC), registered now, S/N 5182, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AVIAT Pitts S2B
- Registry model: [Christen Industries PITTS S-2B](https://openairdocs.org/model/christen-industries-pitts-s-2b) (registry code 2210006) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-540-series) (registry code 41568, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 5182
- Year built: 1990
- Airframe hours: 705
- Engines: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Denair Inc
- Registered owner: Denair Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 10, 2014, 4 hours before
- Departed: D38, CANANDAIGUA, NY
- Destination: NY15, Lakeville, NY
- Airport: NY15, Lakeville, runway 19, 2,800 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 23, 2013; seat: rear; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,063 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 1,650 as pilot in command, 4.4 in the last 90 days, 1.5 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: KDSV, 15 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20140809012389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140809012389A), Aug 9, 2014: Christen Industries Inc PITTS S-2B, Lakeville, NY, Substantial damage. On 8/11/2014 I was tasked by my frontline supervisor of an incident which happened at the Lakeville, NY (NY15) airport on 8/09/2014 involving a pitts S-2B…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89854. 11.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417308&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Inspector’s Statement (item 2, .PDF, 17 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417309&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%E2%80%99s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 – Damage to Lower Left Wing (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417310&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Damage%20to%20Lower%20Left%20Wing%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 – Damage to Upper Right Wing (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417311&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20Damage%20to%20Upper%20Right%20Wing%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF
- Photo 3 – View of Runway Right Edge (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417312&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20Runway%20Right%20Edge%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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