Pitts S2 accident near Friesach, At, August 30, 2015
On August 30, 2015 at about 12:42 pm local time, a Pitts S2, registered DEZZT, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Friesach (Hirt airport). 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2015 · about 12:42 pm local time
- Place
- Friesach, Austria · Hirt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2 B · all S2s on the register
- Registration
- DEZZT · no longer on the register · serial 5327
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 30, 2015, about 1242 UTC, a Pitts S2B airplane, D-EZZT, (s/n 5327), impacted terrain while performing aerobatic maneuvers near Friesach, Austria. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured. This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Austrian government. Any further information may be obtained from: Austrian Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority Trauzlgasse 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from, the Austrian Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority.
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 in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOKH Friesach
- Destination: LOKH Friesach
Weather at the time
- 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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.