Pitts S2B N61PS
4 July 1994 · Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 4 July 1994 at about 18:00 local time, a Pitts S2B registered N61PS was involved in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2B
- Registration
- N61PS
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA94LA171
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE POOR WELDING QUALITY OF THE MANUFACTURER, RESULTING IN THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE AILERON ATTACHMENT BRACKET.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS WHEN HE HEARD A 'POP' AND NOTED THAT HIS RIGHT UPPER AILERON WAS LOOSE. HE SLOWED DOWN, AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN AND LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE UPPER RIGHT INBOARD AILERON WELDED BRACKET. FURTHER METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION AT THE SAFETY BOARD LABORATORY REVEALED 3 DISTINCT FATIGUE ORIGINS BETWEEN THE TOE OF THE WELD AND THE WELDED ZONES. THE WELD ITSELF EXHIBITED SHARP AND HIGH WELD CROWNS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Pitts S2B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 1994 | Pitts S2B | Keystone Height, Florida, United States | Swartz, David J. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 1994 | Pitts S2B | Williamstown, New Jersey, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 1993 | Pitts S2B | Boulder, Colorado, United States | Flatirons Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 1992 | Pitts S2B | Aurora, Nebraska, United States | Thomsen, Burton L. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Dec 1992 | Pitts S2B | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States | Waldrop, Homer V. | No injuries | - |
| 5 Aug 1990 | Pitts S2B | Springfield, Illinois, United States | Regal Quality Air, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-32R-301 | Live Oak, Florida, United States | Barker, Sirios C. | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Jan 1994 | Aerospatiale AS-350 | Lakeland, Florida, United States | Bulldog Airlines Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Jan 1994 | Robinson R-22 | Miami, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1994 | Cessna 152 | Osprey, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1994 | Boeing A75N1 | Zellwood, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-28-180 | Boynton Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |