# NTSB ERA25FA231: Pitts S2, N79AV, Broadway, NC, June 20, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: June 20, 2025, 09:00 local (13:00 UTC) - Place: Broadway, NC · Near 143 Holly Springs Church Rd. - Coordinates: 35.437687, -79.016907 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4377&lon=-79.0169&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO, Lycoming Engines - NTSB case key (mKey): 200356 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25FA231 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200356/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25FA231 ## Preliminary report On June 20, 2025, at 0900 eastern daylight time, a Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, N79AV, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Broadway, North Carolina. The private pilot and the commercial pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerobatic flight. According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed the Raleigh Executive Jetport (TTA), Sanford, North Carolina, at 0853. Immediately after departure, the airplane made a left turn to the southwest, followed by a left turn to head southeast. The airplane continued to climb until it reached an altitude of about 4,100 ft mean sea level (msl), and the airplane then turned toward the east. At 0859, the ADS-B data revealed the airplane made a tight, left 360° turn and then continued on its previous course. About 1 minute later, the airplane began a left turn and a steep descent. The last ADS-B datapoint reported the airplane was at 650 ft msl and was approximately 50 ft to the east of the initial impact point. According to witnesses who observed the accident, the airplane was spinning in a nose-down attitude before it impacted terrain. Multiple witnesses also reported that they could hear the engine running the entire duration of flight. A surveillance video captured the accident; however, the airplane was only partially in view for one frame of the video prior to impact. The video showed the airplane in a steep, nose down, attitude before it impacted terrain and a postcrash fire ensued. The initial impact point was identified as a small crater in the ground between two buildings. The two bladed, constant speed propeller was found in the impact crater. The crater contained two slash marks with paint transfer that was consistent with the propeller blade paint color. One propeller blade displayed aft bending deformation, chordwise scratches, and polishing of the cambered side. The other propeller blade was undamaged and displayed chordwise scratches near the blade root. The main wreckage was located 21 ft from the initial impact crater. The airframe was mostly consumed by a post-impact fire; however, the steel tubular structure and flight control push/pull tubes and cables remained. The airframe and engine displayed impact damage signatures, with most of the impact damage occurring to the forward portion of the airplane. All the airplane’s major components were located at the accident site. The wreckage was retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7220450), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N79AV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N79AV), registered now, S/N 5114, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PITTS S2 (B) - Registry model: [Pitts Aerobatics S-2B](https://openairdocs.org/model/pitts-aerobatics-s-2b) (registry code 7220450) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-540-series) (registry code 41568, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5114 - Year built: 1986 - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Departed: TTA, Sanford, NC ## Weather - Wind: 30° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: KTTA, 10 nm away - METAR: KTTA 201305Z AUTO 03007KT 10SM CLR 24/18 A3010 RMK AO2 T02350176 ## 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 20250620008429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250620008429A), Jun 20, 2025: Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, Broadway, NC, Destroyed, 2 fatal. A Pitts Aerobatics S-2B departed raleigh executive jetport (ktta) with two people on-board at 0853 on 06/20/2025 for a personal flight. Aircraft turned left to… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.