- Date
- May 22, 1999, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Merced, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N93JAerotek Pitts Special S-1S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990522022439A
- Case key
- 46390
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 improper/inadequate use of the rudders during the attempted recovery from a bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft.
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 he was practicing touch-and-go landings. He stated that on the last landing the aircraft landed hard and bounced. He decided to do a go-around and added power. The pilot reported that the power came up and the engine sounded normal; however, the aircraft didn't climb. The airplane then veered about 10 to 20 degrees to the left. The pilot stated that he realized something was wrong and cut the power. The wingtips and propeller impacted the ground and the aircraft came to rest upright about 150 feet northwest of the 1,000-foot runway marker. The pilot reported that he has no memory of the events following the reduction of power until another person arrived at the accident site. There were no witnesses to the accident; however, another pilot heard the crash and helped the pilot egress from the aircraft. The winds were reported to be variable at 4 knots at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On May 22, 1999, at 1430 hours Pacific daylight time, an Aerotek Pitts Special S-1S, N93J, ground looped on landing at the Merced, California, airport. The aircraft, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The local area personal flight originated at the Merced airport about 1400, and was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he was practicing touch-and-go landings to runway 30. He stated that on the last landing the aircraft landed hard and bounced. He decided to do a go-around and added power. The pilot reported that the power came up and the engine sounded normal; however, the aircraft didn't climb. The airplane then veered about 10 to 20 degrees to the left. The pilot stated that he realized something was wrong and cut the power. The wingtips and propeller impacted the ground and the aircraft came to rest upright about 150 feet northwest of the 1,000-foot runway marker. The pilot reported that he has no memory of the events following the reduction of power until another person arrived at the accident site.
There were no witnesses to the accident; however, another pilot heard the crash and helped the pilot egress from the aircraft. The winds were reported to be variable at 4 knots at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93J
- Reported as
- Aerotek Pitts Special S-1S (PITTS SPEC)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1-0030
- Airframe hours
- 742
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-B4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tom King Harris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 1998 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- MCE
- Airport
- MCE · Merced Muni/Mcready Field, runway 30, 5,903 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,222 total · 140 in this make and model · 2,222 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.