Aviat Pitts S-2B accident near Darmstadt, Indiana, June 6, 2006
On June 6, 2006, a Aviat Pitts S-2B, registered N55H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Darmstadt, Indiana (J & S Field 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 the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control, and an on-ground collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2006
- Place
- Darmstadt, Indiana · J & S Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Pitts S-2B
- Registration
- N55H · no longer on the register · serial 5285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aerobatic tailwheel airplane sustained substantial damage during landing on a 50 foot wide grass runway when the airplane exited runway 26, impacted high vegetation, and nosed over. The pilot stated, "Normal approach - 100 mph, 900 [feet above ground level] downwind pattern. Touched down center of runway, plane was on the ground and rolling. Everything felt right and normal. Started pulling to right added left rudder, right wing contacted wheat along edge of runway and pulled plane into [field.]" At 1854, the recorded wind was 070 degrees at 7 knots. An examination of the landing gear components disclosed that the left main landing gear fractured/separated during the accident sequence. Portions of the left main landing gear were sent to the NTSB Materials laboratory for analysis. The examination disclosed that the fractures/separations were consistent with overload, with no evidence of any pre-existing anomalies.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 856 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 823 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 609 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 43IN St Wendel IN
- Destination: 12IN Darmstadt IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 1,930 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from EVV, 7 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.