Aerotek INC PITTS S-2B and Cessna 170 accident near Cleveland, Georgia, June 19, 2013
On June 19, 2013 at about 9:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Aerotek INC PITTS S-2B (N5314Y) and Cessna 170 (N2552V), were involved in the same accident near Cleveland, Georgia (Mountain Air Park airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The taxiing pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in his airplane's collision with a stopped airplane.
The taxiing pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in his airplane's collision with a stopped airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2013 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Georgia · Mountain Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Aerotek INC PITTS S-2B · all PITTS S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5314Y · no longer on the register · serial 5022
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N2552V · registry record · serial 18057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Aerotek INC PITTS S-2B final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Pitts had landed his tailwheel-equipped airplane to the south on the grass runway and was taxiing toward the end of the runway, planning to take off again to the north. (Landing to the south and taking off to the north was common practice at the accident airport because of surrounding terrain.) However, while the pilot was taxiing for takeoff, the Pitts’ propeller struck the left wing of another airplane that was stopped at the end of the runway to conduct before-takeoff checks. The Pitts pilot stated that he did not see the other airplane before the collision. He also did not note any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded his airplane’s normal operation.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 170 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Pitts had landed his tailwheel-equipped airplane to the south on the grass runway and was taxiing toward the end of the runway, planning to take off again to the north. (Landing to the south and taking off to the north was common practice at the accident airport because of surrounding terrain.) However, while the pilot was taxiing, the Pitts’ propeller struck the left wing of another airplane that was stopped at the end of the runway to conduct before-takeoff checks. The Pitts pilot stated that he did not see the other airplane before the collision. He also did not note any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded his airplane’s normal operation.
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 for the Aerotek INC PITTS S-2B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Related operating info
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 321 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 321 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 9, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,287 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2013; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0GE5 Cleveland GA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 0GE5 Cleveland GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from GVL, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 170 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 26,279 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 20,881 as pilot in command; 1,250 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 19, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2013; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,500 ft by 200 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13LA299.