Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1S N49294
27 December 2014 · Westminster, Maryland, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 27 December 2014 at about 20:45 local time, a Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1S registered N49294, operated by Bob Gillespie, was involved in an accident near Westminster, Maryland, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously 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 20:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Westminster, Maryland, United States
- Nearest airport
- Carroll County Airport (DMW)
- Coordinates
- 39.6083, -77.0078
- Aircraft
- Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1S
- Registration
- N49294
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1978
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Bob Gillespie
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Westminster → Westminster
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA15LA084
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to see and avoid the other airplane, which resulted in a midair collision while both airplanes were on final approach to land.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A Piper PA-28-140 and a Pitts Special S-1S collided in midair while both airplanes were on final approach to land. The Piper was equipped with a two-way radio and the Pitts was not. Both pilots were flying their airplanes on a visual approach to the same runway; the Piper entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg, and the Pitts entered the traffic pattern on the crosswind leg. According to the Piper pilot, he made radio calls during each leg of the traffic pattern to announce his position, and, after beginning the final approach about 1.5 nautical miles from the runway threshold, he observed the Pitts on the downwind leg. The Pitts pilot reported that he flew a tighter traffic pattern and that he did not see the Piper. Witnesses reported that, as the airplanes were on short final, the Pitts converged on the Piper from behind and above. The Pitts' tailwheel struck the top of the Piper's fuselage, and the right main landing gear struck the cowling and was subsequently separated by the Piper's propeller. After the collision, the Pitts entered a dive and then impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and elevator. The Piper pilot landed the airplane on the runway; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage from the collision.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL S-1S | N49294 | Bob Gillespie | Substantial |
| Piper PA-28-140 | N95297 | Robert Graham | Substantial |
Other Aerotek PITTS accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jun 2013 | Aerotek PITTS S-2B | Cleveland, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 2013 | Aerotek PITTS S 1T | Punta Gorda, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Dec 2012 | Aerotek PITTS S-1T | Billings, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 2016 | Aerotek PITTS SPECIAL | Reno, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 2017 | Aerotek PITTS S-2A | West Palm Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 May 2017 | Aerotek PITTS S 2A | Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul 2014 | Cessna 172P | Hagerstown, Maryland, United States | Civil Air Patrol Inc | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 2014 | Cessna T210N | Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States | USCG District 5 | No injuries | - |
| 1 May 2014 | Robinson R22 BETA | Frederick, Maryland, United States | Advanced Helicopter Concepts Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Dec 2014 | Embraer EMB-500 | Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States | Sage Aviation LLC | Fatal | 3 |
| 13 Dec 2014 | Boeing 737 | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | Southwest Airlines, Co. | No injuries | - |
| 21 May 2014 | Cessna 182 | Elkton, Maryland, United States | - | No injuries | - |