Accident Overview
On June 20, 2025, at 0900 eastern daylight time, a Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, registration N79AV, was destroyed when it crashed near Broadway, North Carolina. The private pilot and a commercial pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an aerobatic operation.
Flight Path
According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed Raleigh Executive Jetport (TTA) in Sanford, North Carolina, at 0853. Immediately after departure, it executed a left turn to the southwest, followed by another left turn to head southeast. The airplane climbed to about 4,100 ft mean sea level (msl) before turning east. At 0859, a tight left 360° turn was recorded, after which the aircraft resumed its previous course. Approximately one minute later, it began a left turn and a steep descent. The final ADS-B datapoint indicated an altitude of 650 ft msl, about 50 ft east of the initial impact point.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses reported observing the airplane spinning in a nose-down attitude before impact. Multiple witnesses stated they heard the engine running throughout the flight. A surveillance video captured the accident; the airplane was partially visible in only one frame before impact, showing a steep, nose-down attitude. The video also captured a postcrash fire.
Wreckage Examination
The initial impact point was a small crater between two buildings. A two-bladed constant speed propeller was found in the crater, which also contained two slash marks with paint transfer matching the propeller blade color. One propeller blade exhibited aft bending deformation, chordwise scratches, and polishing on the cambered side; the other blade was undamaged but had chordwise scratches near the root.
The main wreckage lay 21 ft from the impact crater. The airframe was largely consumed by post-impact fire, leaving only the steel tubular structure and flight control push/pull tubes and cables. Impact damage was concentrated on the forward portion of the airplane. All major components were present at the site. The wreckage was retained for further examination.