Amateur-built PITTS S-2A accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, April 18, 1998
On April 18, 1998 at about 11:56 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-2A, registered N60DL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted takeoff. A factor was the reported crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1998 · about 11:56 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Spruce Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-2A
- Registration
- N60DL · registry record · serial DL5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an attempted takeoff, the pilot reported experiencing a wind gust from the left and he lost directional control of the airplane. Witnesses observing the attempted takeoff reported that, the airplane rolled about 100 feet down the runway, then it suddenly veered left. The airplane went off the left side of the paved runway and collided with a stand of trees. The prevailing winds at the time of the accident were reported at 110 degrees at 10 knots. No mechanical problems, with the airplane, were reported by the pilot.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 870 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 199 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 44J
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from DAB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.