- Date
- September 13, 2003, 15:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mountain View, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N57BCAviat Pitts S-2C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030913022739A
- Case key
- 57935
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance with the runway during a low altitude aerobatic maneuver.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot dragged a wing while performing during an air show. As the pilot was executing a series of low altitude slow rolls, about 35 feet above ground level (agl), the left wing contacted the runway. The airplane then impacted the runway inverted and slid to a stop. No mechanical malfunctions were reported prior to the mishap.
Factual narrative
On September 13, 2003, at 1545 Pacific daylight time, an Aviat Pitts S-2C acrobatic biplane, N57BC, dragged a wing while performing during an air show at Moffett Federal Airfield, Mountain View, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight departed Moffett at 1540 for the purpose of performing in an airshow. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was an air show performer at the Moffett Field Air Expo. While executing a series of low altitude slow rolls, about 35 feet above ground level (agl), the left wing contacted the runway. The airplane then impacted the runway inverted and slid to a stop. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions prior to the mishap.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57BC
- Reported as
- Aviat Pitts S-2C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6004
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Operator
- William E. Cornick
- Registered owner
- The Cornick Family Trust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Departed
- NUQ · Mountain View, CA
- Destination
- NUQ · Mountain View, CA
- Airport
- NUQ · Moffett Field, runway 32
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 21,605 total · 598 in this make and model · 125 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.