Pitts S-2A accident near Springfield, Illinois, July 8, 2009
On July 8, 2009, a Pitts S-2A, registered N18BT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Springfield, Illinois (Abraham Lincoln Capital Airpor 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 inability to maintain directional control while landing due to the unintentional obstruction of the rudder by the passenger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2009
- Place
- Springfield, Illinois · Abraham Lincoln Capital Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-2A · all S-2As on the register
- Registration
- N18BT · registry record · serial 2221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing the tail wheel equipped airplane when the accident happened. He stated that the airplane touched down on one main wheel first and the airplane shifted and rapidly turned right. He stated that the airplane's movement resulted in his passenger's body shifting to the left against the left rudder/brake pedal. The rear seat rudder pedals are located near the front seat occupant's hips. The pilot stated that he attempted to correct with left rudder, but was unable due to the obstruction of the rudder pedal by the front seat passenger's body. The airplane subsequently ground looped. The damage to the airplane included collapse of the main landing gear, damage to the left lower wing, and damage to the upper wing.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Miscellaneous › (general) › (general) › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,590 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,575 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPI Springfield IL
- Destination: SPI Springfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.