- Date
- December 12, 1999, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Shamokin, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N260XXChristen Industries Pitts S-2B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991212044309A
- Case key
- 48351
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 aircraft control.
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 stated that he landed on the runway, and the airplane began to veer to the right. He attempted to correct the travel by applying left rudder pedal and brake. The right main landing gear traveled into mud, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway, into a ditch. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Factual narrative
On December 12, 1999, about 1600 Eastern Standard Time, a Pitts S-2B, N260XX, was substantially damage while landing at Northumberland County Airport (N79), Shamokin, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that he landed on Runway 26 at N79. As the tailwheel touched down, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied left rudder pedal and brake, but the right main landing gear traveled into mud, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway, into a ditch.
The pilot reported that he had approximately 180 hours of flight experience. Approximately 35 hours were in the accident airplane.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The Inspector observed the lower left wing bent aft, and spar damage to the upper left wing. The propeller was deformed, and the left main landing gear separated from the airplane.
The reported winds at an airport approximately 15 miles away were from 050 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N260XX
- Reported as
- Christen Industries Pitts S-2B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5116
- Airframe hours
- 400
- Engine
- Lycoming AIO-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jeff W. Maurer
- Registered owner
- Aero Leasing Of America
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1999 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- N79
- Airport
- N79 · Northumberland County, runway 26, 3,297 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 180 total · 35 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SEG, 15 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.