Pitts S2B accident near Aurora, Nebraska, June 27, 1992
On June 27, 1992 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Pitts S2B, registered N92BT, was destroyed in an accident near Aurora, Nebraska. 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-IN-COMMAND'S RESTRICTED VISUAL LOOKOUT FROM SMOKE ENTERING THE COCKPIT. FACTORS WERE SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT BECOMING DISORIENTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1992 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2B · all S2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N92BT · registry record · serial 5237
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS THE PILOT WAS UTILIZING THE FACTORY INSTALLED SMOKE SYSTEM. DURING A SPIN, SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND THE PILOT LOST VISUAL REFERENCE QUES. WHEN THE CONDITION DID NOT DISSIPATE QUICKLY, HE JETTISONED THE CANOPY. HE SAW THE GROUND COMING UP QUICKLY AND LEVELED THE WINGS AND IMPACTED CROPS AND THE TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,185 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 27, 1991; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-DA45 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,400 ft; not recorded at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from GRI, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N92BT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.