What happened
On August 25, 2024, at approximately 12:24 PDT, an experimental amateur-built Pitts S-1, registration N42JF, was destroyed during an accident near Santa Paula Airport (SZP) in California. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal flight.
Prior to the accident, the aircraft had refueled at the airport's self-service pumps. Witnesses at the airport reported that after departing runway 22, the airplane emitted two popping sounds before turning onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern. The aircraft continued the pattern at a lower altitude and experienced a loss of engine power when abeam the numbers for runway 22. After turning left onto the base leg, the aircraft performed a sharp right turn and descended behind a line of trees.
A passenger in another aircraft on short final for runway 22 observed the N42JF pass underneath them before it impacted the terrain. The accident site was located in an irrigation storage facility approximately 1/3 mile east of runway 22. The aircraft struck metal baskets and steel racks holding irrigation pipes, eventually coming to rest near two metal waste containers, which resulted in a post-impact fire. The pilot sustained 1 serious injury and there were 0 fatalities.