Christen Industries INC PITTS S-2S accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, November 24, 2012
On November 24, 2012 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Christen Industries INC PITTS S-2S, registered N15PU, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Grain Valley, Missouri (East Kansas City Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare, which led to a bounced landing and subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2012 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · East Kansas City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries INC PITTS S-2S
- Registration
- N15PU · registry record · serial 3015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he applied aft control stick to "pin the tail" on the runway. The airplane bounced off the runway surface, veered to the right, and the pilot attempted to abort the landing. During the aborted landing attempt, the left wing struck the terrain. Subsequently, the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded back onto the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left lower wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,483 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,341 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 3, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 639 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 19, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,520 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3GV Grain Valley MO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 3GV Grain Valley MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 4,507 ft by 44 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.