Aerotek PITTS SPEC accident near Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, May 24, 2009
On May 24, 2009 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Aerotek PITTS SPEC, registered N55MF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania (Beaver County Airport). 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’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2009 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania · Beaver County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotek PITTS SPEC
- Registration
- N55MF · no longer on the register · serial KA-102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot completed three orbits above the airfield before attempting to land on runway 28. During the landing the airplane became unstable. The pilot applied rapid deflections of the rudder and kept the airplane straight momentarily, but ultimately it continued veering to the left. He applied full right rudder, full right brake , and power. In the process, the airplane “tipped forward” onto the right main landing gear and rolled onto the right wing tip. The propeller contacted the runway several times before the airplane exited the left side of the runway at about a 70-degree angle and nosed over. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical difficulties with the airplane. Wind at the time was from the southwest at approximately 7 knots.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 25,940 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,282 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 24, 2009; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Beaver Falls PA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: KBVI Beaver Falls PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,501 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from KBVI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.