- Date
- October 18, 1994, 17:45 local (Oct 19, 1994, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N15KRPitts S-2B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941018035049A
- Case key
- 28965
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 proper alignment with the runway during landing rollout. A contributing factor was sun glare.
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 reported that the airplane touched down on the right side of runway 22L centerline at a speed which was 'a little excessive.' The runway was 4,850 feet long by 75 feet wide. The airplane bounced three times as it slowly veered off the runway. The pilot further reported that he could not clearly see because he was 'blinded by the combination of sun and bugs.' While attempting to realign the airplane with the runway, the airplane impacted a taxiway sign. The position of the sun at the time of the accident was determined to be about 20 degrees to the right of the runway heading and 1.4 degrees above the horizon.
Factual narrative
On October 18, 1994, at 1745 mountain standard time, a Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, N15KR, operated by Chandler Air Service, collided with a taxiway sign during landing rollout at the Chandler Municipal Airport, Chandler, Arizona. The airplane was substantially damaged, and neither the private pilot nor the passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the personal flight which originated from Chandler at 1715.
The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the right side of runway 22L's centerline, and at a speed which was "a little excessive." The runway was 4,850 feet long by 75 feet wide. The airplane bounced three times as it slowly veered off the runway. The pilot further reported that, at the time, he could not clearly see because he was "blinded by the combination of sun and bugs." While attempting to realign the airplane with the runway, the airplane impacted a taxiway sign.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N15KR
- Reported as
- Pitts S-2B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5031
- Airframe hours
- 1,854
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540-O4AS, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chandler Air Service
- Registered owner
- Pitts Leasing Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 16, 1994 · 46 hours before
- Airport
- P10 · Chandler Municipal, runway 22L, 4,850 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 760 total · 32 in this make and model · 675 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 1 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- P10
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.