ERA25LA107 · Aviat Inc PITTS S-2B

On January 30, 2025, at 1034 eastern standard time, an Aviat Inc Pitts S-2B, N8ZT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fellsmere, Florida. The private pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Preliminary ADS-B data revealed that the airplane departed Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) about 1000, flew eastbound for about three minutes, and climbed to about 3,000 ft before turning north and flying along the shoreline. While transitioning along the beach, the airplane descended to and maintained cruise flight between 300 ft and 600 ft, before it completed a 180° left turn over the beach and proceeded approximately southbound over the Indian River about 500 ft. About 1013, the airplane performed a rapid climb to about 1,200 ft, then turned right and maneuvered over two golf courses at low altitude before heading further westbound and maneuvering through a wide, 180° turn back to an approximate heading for VRB. About 8 miles west of VRB, the airplane was about 2,400 ft when it entered and completed four 360-degree turns to the right. The airplane was about 2,200 ft when it turned sharply left to the northeast and continued in a descent until it was aligned with the runway 12 extended centerline at VRB. During the final minute of flight, the airplane continued to descend as it turned sharply south, back to the north, and then westbound before the flight track data ended in the immediate vicinity of the accident site (see figure 1).

Figure 1. Preliminary ADS-B flight track data for the accident flight. In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector, a witness described the accident airplane flying west to east when he heard the engine “sputter” and watched the airplane climb and “rock his wings.” Later, the engine “sputtered and stopped” before the airplane “angled nose down” and impacted the ground. The witness said there was no fire, and he called 911 as he responded to the airplane to assist the pilot. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued January 29, 2025. The first entry in the pilot’s logbook was dated October 28, 2017, where he carried forward 1,415 total hours of flight experience from a previous logbook that was not recovered. All of the time carried forward and all of the entries were in the accident airplane make and model. The most recent entry was June 26, 2024, at which time the pilot logged 1,722.7 total hours of flight experience. The airplane was manufactured in 1993 and was powered by a Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 260-horsepower engine. The airplane was equipped with a 24-gallon main fuel tank (23 gallons of which was useable) and a 5-gallon auxiliary fuel tank (5 gallons of which was useable). The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed May 27, 2024, at 1,725.3 total aircraft hours. The tachometer showed 1,761.3 total aircraft hours at the accident site. A cursory examination of the airplane at the scene revealed no fuel, no odor of fuel, and no evidence of fuel spillage. The fuel boost pump switch was found in the “on” position. The airplane was photographed and then recovered to a secure facility and examined by an NTSB air safety investigator. The examination revealed control continuity from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces. The engine crankshaft was rotated by hand at the propeller hub and continuity was confirmed from the powertrain through the valvetrain to the accessory section. Compression was confirmed on each cylinder using the thumb method. Each magneto produced spark at all terminal towers when rotated by electric drill. The electric fuel pump contained only trace amounts of fuel and functioned when energized. The mechanical fuel pump contained only trace amounts of fuel and functioned when actuated by hand. The fuel manifold contained no fuel. According to two employees of the fixed base operator (FBO) where the pilot was a regular customer, on the day of the accident, the pilot taxied the airplane to the self-service fuel pump, which was in use by another customer. The accident pilot then taxied away, without making a fuel purchase, before departing on the accident flight. According to the FBO manager, the pilot’s most recent fuel purchase was on January 4, 2025, for 12.4 gallons. He said the normal convention was for the pilot to fill the main tank “only” and “leave the upper tank empty” unless departing on an “extended” flight. Preliminary ADS-B data revealed the total estimated flight time over 4 flights since the most recent fuel purchase was 1.6 hours, which did not account for engine start, run-up, taxi, and takeoff times for each of the four flights. Fuel consumption rates provided in the airplane flight manual indicated that, when adjusted for best power at an altitude of 2,000 ft and rpm/manifold pressure settings of 2,700 rpm and 27 inches, respectively, the engine would consume about 21 gallons of fuel per hour. At 2,000 ft, 2,600 rpm, and 27 inches manifold pressure, the fuel consumption rate was about 18.7 gallons per hour.

Verbatim NTSB factual narrative from the NTSB dataset