NYC07CA198

NTSB accident investigation · Christen Industries Pitts S-2B · Springfield, TN · August 19, 2007

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 19, 2007, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Springfield, TN
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N487JChristen Industries Pitts S-2B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 31, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20070819016319A
Case key
66473

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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ditch

Analysis

According to the pilot of the Pitts S-2B, he made one pass over the runway prior to landing, to observe the wind sock at the airport. He noted a slight crosswind from the west, but he felt it was not very strong. The pilot performed a normal landing on runway 35, a 2,000-foot long turf runway, and during the initial roll-out, a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder to counteract the wind, but was unsuccessful. As the airplane approached the runway edge, the pilot applied full throttle to initiate a go-around. The airplane impacted a ditch off the left side of the runway prior to becoming airborne. The pilot reported no pre-impact anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at an airport 30 miles to the south, at the time of the accident, were from 210 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot of the Pitts S-2B, he made one pass over the runway prior to landing, to observe the wind sock at the airport. He noted a slight crosswind from the west, but he felt it was not very strong. The pilot performed a normal landing on runway 35, a 2,000-foot long turf runway, and during the initial roll-out, a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder to counteract the wind, but was unsuccessful. As the airplane approached the runway edge, the pilot applied full throttle to initiate a go-around. The airplane impacted a ditch off the left side of the runway prior to becoming airborne. The pilot reported no pre-impact anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at an airport 30 miles to the south, at the time of the accident, were from 210 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N487J
Reported as
Christen Industries Pitts S-2B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
5127
Airframe hours
1,940
Engine
Lycoming AEIO-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Steve Johnson
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic
Last inspection
Annual · January 1, 2007
Departed
M91 · Springfield, TN
Destination
3TN9 · Springfield, TN
Airport
3TN9 · Holenthawall Airport, runway 35, 2,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf

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
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 1, 2007
Seat
Rear
Flight hours
2,140 total · 850 in this make and model · 1,945 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 8 knots
Visibility
9 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft broken
Temperature
97 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
BNA, 30 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.

Other investigations on N487J · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.