No fatalities

24 May 2009: AEROTEK PITTS SPEC — Beaver Falls, PA

Beaver Falls, PA, United States

On 24 May 2009, an AEROTEK PITTS SPEC was involved in an aviation accident near Beaver Falls, PA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing rollout. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot completed three orbits before attempting a landing on runway 28. The airplane became unstable, veered left despite full right rudder and brake, tipped onto its right main gear, and eventually nosed over. No mechanical issues were reported.

Approach and Landing Attempt

The pilot performed three orbits above the airfield before initiating an approach to runway 28. The wind at the time was from the southwest at approximately 7 knots.

Loss of Control

During the landing, the airplane became unstable. In response, the pilot applied rapid deflections of the rudder, which kept the airplane straight momentarily. However, the airplane soon began veering to the left. Despite the pilot applying full right rudder, full right brake, and power, the airplane continued its leftward movement.

Sequence of Events

As the pilot attempted to correct the veer, the airplane "tipped forward" onto the right main landing gear and subsequently rolled onto its right wingtip. The propeller made contact with the runway several times before the airplane exited the left side of the runway at about a 70-degree angle and nosed over.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the incident.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot