Pitts Aerobatics S-2B accident near Woodbine, New Jersey, June 25, 2009
On June 25, 2009 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, registered N300FA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Woodbine, New Jersey (Woodbine Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's improper fuel transfer in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2009 · about 10:15 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Woodbine, New Jersey · Woodbine Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts Aerobatics S-2B · all S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N300FA · registry record · serial 5055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure, the pilot added a total of 20 gallons of fuel to the upper wing auxiliary and lower (main) tanks of the Pitts S-2B bi-plane, filling the tanks to their 28 gallon capacity. About halfway to the destination airport, after flying for about an hour, the pilot transferred fuel from the upper (auxiliary) to the lower (main) fuel tank. As the airplane approached the airport which the pilot planned to stop for fuel, the pilot determined a fuel stop was not necessary as his GPS predicted an arrival time at his destination equating to 2 hours of flight time. When the airplane was about 20 miles from its destination, the engine "quit abruptly" and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane revealed the upper wing fuel tank contained approximately 3-5 gallons of fuel, and no fuel was observed in the main fuel tank. The fuel lines from the fuel servo contained only "residual fuel." The fuel selector was observed in the "ON" position. The fuel transfer valve, which transferred fuel from the upper wing fuel tank to the lower wing (main) fuel tank, was in the "CLOSED" position. The pilot believed the airplane's engine consumed about 11.5 gallons per hour; however, the manufacturer reported the airplane's engine consumed between 12 and 14 gallons per hour.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the fuel system
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management other cases naming the fuel system
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,237 hours in all; 661 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: WWD Wildwood NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from WWD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on May 6, 2010. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Interview Summaries | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1- Aircraft at Accident Site (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 2 - Aircraft Fuel Placard (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 3 - Fuel Transfer Valve (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Pilot Operating Handbook (Excerpt) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N300FA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Pitts Aerobatics S-2 28 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Pitts Aerobatics 28 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 434 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Woodbine Municipal · nearest airport
- Laurence G Hanscom Field · departed from
- Cape May County · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in New Jersey 1,189 since 1982 · 136 in the last ten years
- New Jersey 3,018 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA09LA368.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.