Aviat PITTS S2B N331DM

Summary

On 11 October 2003 at about 14:35 local time, a Aviat PITTS S2B registered N331DM was involved in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were 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

11 October 2003 at 14:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Teresa, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Dona Ana County at Santa Teres (5T6)

Coordinates

31.8808, -106.7047

Aircraft

Aviat PITTS S2B

Registration

N331DM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Teresa → Santa Teresa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN04LA007

Nobody was injured.

the instructor's improper in-flight planning/decision making and fuel mismanagement which resulted in fuel starvation/exhaustion, the loss of engine power and the subsequent forced landing. Contributing factors include the instructor's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the instructor, he was giving instruction to the private pilot who had recently purchased the airplane. They departed with approximately 15 gallons of fuel. After completing four touch-and-go landings, they departed the pattern to do some air work, which included steep turns and a stall. At 3,500 feet agl, approximately 3 to 4 miles north of the airport, the engine lost all power. The instructor stated that he was unable to reach the airport using "best glide." The instructor made a forced landing in a field approximately 1/2 mile east-northeast of the approach end of runway 28. When the airplane impacted the ground, both the left and right main landing gear assemblies collapsed, the upper wing assembly was displaced aft, and the lower left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and elevator were buckled. An examination of the airplane revealed 4 inches of fuel in the airplane's main fuel tank and no fuel in the wing tank. No other anomalies were found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.