Pitts S-2B N52TW

Summary

On 31 August 1998 at about 23:00 local time, a Pitts S-2B registered N52TW was involved in an accident near Sherman, Texas, 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

31 August 1998 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Sherman, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Grayson County Airport (F39)

Coordinates

33.6098, -96.5999

Aircraft

Pitts S-2B

Registration

N52TW

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

FTW98LA414

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot in command to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare. A factor was the gusty, crosswind condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tail wheel equipped airplane lost directional control while landing on runway 17L due to a crosswind condition. The private pilot stated that just prior to the wheels contacting the runway a gust of wind 'from 090 degrees' pushed the airplane to the right of the runway centerline. The airplane contacted the runway to the right of the runway centerline and the pilot began to use left rudder and braking to maintain directional control of the airplane. Subsequently, the tail of the airplane began to swing around to the right and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid approximately 15 feet and came to rest upright on the runway. The pilot estimates that at the time of the accident the winds were from 090 degrees at 10 to 12 knots and gusting to 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.