Pitts S2B accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, December 26, 1992
On December 26, 1992 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Pitts S2B, registered N92AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Tuscaloosa Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DURING THE TAKE OFF ROLL. A FACTOR WAS THE WIND GUST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1992 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama · Tuscaloosa Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2B · all S2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N92AP · registry record · serial 5240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, A GUST OF WIND FROM THE LEFT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A DITCH WHICH LIES ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 814 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 664 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 90 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1992; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D45A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TCL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: TCL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from TCL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL93LA042.