Amateur-built PITTS S-2-S accident near Bloomington, Illinois, August 22, 1993
On August 22, 1993 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-2-S, registered N10T, was destroyed in an accident near Bloomington, Illinois (Bloomington-Normal Airpt airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot in command continued the aerobatic maneuver too long to effect a safe level off.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1993 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Illinois · Bloomington-Normal Airpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-2-S PITTS S-2-
- Registration
- N10T · no longer on the register · serial 2000
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS DURING AN AIR SHOW, THE PILOT CONTINUED AEROBATIC MANEUVERS TO AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW TO RECOVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMI
- Destination: BMI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from BMI
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.
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.