Pitts S2B accident near Boulder, Colorado, March 24, 1993
On March 24, 1993 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Pitts S2B, registered N876CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT. A FACTOR WAS: THE STUDENT PILOT'S RESTRICTED VISUAL LOOKOUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1993 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2B · all S2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N876CB · no longer on the register · serial 5033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR DECIDED TO SIMULATE A POWER LOSS BY CLOSING THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT RESPONDED BY TURNING TOWARDS THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE STUDENT TO ADD POWER AND SHE DID. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE SAW TREES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AIRPLANE THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD CLEAR. HE DID NOT, HOWEVER, SEE A TREE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TREE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 14,100 hours in all; 503 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 6,658 as pilot in command; 3,419 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,660 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 1992; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flatirons Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 1V5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,100 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from BJC, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N876CB 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.