- Date
- July 28, 1985, 18:20 local (Jul 29, 1985, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ramona, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N56PSAerotek Pitts S-2A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850728034589A
- Case key
- 24545
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
On July 28, 1985 at approximately 1820 hours, a pitts S-2A, N56PS, owned and operated by william l. travis, crashed on a hillside on the 192 deg radial, 12.8 nautical miles from the julian VOR. The flight was for the purpose of aerobatics. The aircraft was destroyed and the two occupants were fatally injured. The flight originated from montgomery field, san diego, CA., on July 28, 1985 at approximately 1800 hours. On-scene investigation disclosed no evidence of a pre-impact malfunction or failure of the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56PS
- Reported as
- Aerotek Pitts S-2A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2056
- Engine
- Lycoming I0360-AIA, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William Travis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Departed
- MYF · San Diego, CA
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,574 total · 1,327 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.