Pitts SPECIAL N2997G

Summary

On 20 August 2011 at about 15:30 local time, a Pitts SPECIAL registered N2997G, operated by Stephen L. Garrison, was involved in an accident near Bessemer, Alabama, 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.

Date

20 August 2011 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bessemer, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Bessemer Airport (EKY)

Coordinates

33.3075, -86.9222

Aircraft

Pitts SPECIAL

Registration

N2997G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Stephen L. Garrison

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laurel → Bessemer

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11CA477

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

At the conclusion of the pilot's second flight in the accident airplane, he landed at the destination airport. During the landing roll, the airplane began to drift to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the drift by applying left rudder, but the airplane continued to the right. He then applied what he thought was the maximum left brake and rudder to counteract the drift, but the airplane continued off the right side of the runway, impacted a taxiway sign, came to rest in a grassy area, and sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot later determined that, due to his large stature, his foot was likely contacting the firewall instead of the rudder pedal, which inhibited him from applying maximum left brake and rudder. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.