# NTSB MIA04CA055: Aviat Pitts S2B, N61PS, Parkland, FL, March 3, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 3, 2004, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Parkland, FL - Coordinates: 26.197221, -80.170555 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1972&lon=-80.1706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - NTSB case key (mKey): 58954 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA04CA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58954/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA04CA055 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in an off-airport precautionary landing to preclude fuel exhaustion, which resulted in damage to the airplane during the landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command - precautionary landing - attempted, pilot in command - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command - terrain condition - grass - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The pilot stated that an earlier flight had occurred, and that fuel had been ordered, but it was not delivered and placed in the airplane's fuel tanks. He further stated that the refueling error was not detected during the preflight inspection. He said they departed from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, and flew to the practice area to perform aerobatics, and as he rolled the airplane inverted, the engine hesitated. He said he immediately recognized that the airplane had not been refueled after the previous flight. Rather than fly over populated areas, the pilot said he elected to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road close to the practice area, and during the rollout the airplane veered to the left, off the dirt road and nosed over into a water filled canal, incurring damage. ## Factual narrative On March 3, 2004, about 1515 eastern standard time, an Aviat Pitts S2B, N61PS, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, veered during a landing in Palm Beach County, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured and airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the same day, about 1500. The pilot stated that an earlier flight had occurred, and that fuel had been ordered, but it was not delivered and placed in the airplane's fuel tanks. He further stated that the refueling error was not detected during the preflight inspection for the second flight. He said that they departed from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, flew to the practice area to perform aerobatics, and as he rolled the airplane inverted at the commencement of aerobatic maneuvers, the engine hesitated. He said that immediately he recognized that the airplane had not been refueled after the previous flight, estimating that he had departed with about 6 gallons of fuel, instead of the usual 23 gallons. At the time the engine hesitated, he stated that there was about 2 gallons of fuel in the fuel tanks, and rather than fly over populated areas, he elected to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road close to the practice area. He said the approach and landing flare/touchdown were normal, but during the rollout the sawgrass struck the left wing and the airplane veered to the left, off the dirt road. It then nosed over and came to rest in a water-filled canal, incurring damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61PS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61PS), registered now, S/N 5230, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aviat Pitts S2B - Registry model: [Aviat PITTS S-2B](https://openairdocs.org/model/aviat-pitts-s-2b) (registry code 2210308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-540-series) (registry code 41568, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5230 - Airframe hours: 2201 - Engines: Lycoming AEIO540D4A5 260 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: David J. Swartz - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, November 12, 2003, 83 hours before - Departed: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Destination: FXE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 20, 2002; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,557 total, 1,887 in this make and model, 2,417 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 13 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: FXE, 5 nm away ## 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 20040303016849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040303016849A), Mar 3, 2004: Aviat PITTSS2B, Boca Raton, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Mr. Swartz was flying aircraft on second flight of the day when Mr. Swartz performed an inverted maneuver and the engine temporarily lost power. Mr.… ## Other investigations on N61PS (2) 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. - [NTSB MIA94LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA94LA171), Jul 4, 1994: Pitts S2B (N61PS), Fort Lauderdale, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE POOR WELDING QUALITY OF THE MANUFACTURER, RESULTING IN THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE AILERON ATTACHMENT BRACKET. - [NTSB MIA94LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA94LA154), May 26, 1994: Pitts S2B (N61PS), Keystone Height, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S EXCEEDING OF THE DESIGN LIMITATIONS OF THE AIRPLANE. 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.