Amateur-built PITTS S2SE accident near Grand Prairie, Texas, December 17, 1994
On December 17, 1994 at about 8:20 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S2SE, registered N604SB, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Prairie, Texas. 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
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 1994 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Prairie, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S2SE
- Registration
- N604SB · registry record · serial EB1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A LOSS OF POWER, THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A SOFT, MUDDY FIELD. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE 'TUMBLED' AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS ORIGINAL INTENTION WAS TO EXECUTE THE FORCED LANDING TO A ROAD; HOWEVER; HE 'ELECTED' TO LAND IN THE FIELD WHEN HE 'OBSERVED VEHICULAR TRAFFIC' ON THE ROAD. TWO SUCCESSFUL ENGINE RUNS WERE PERFORMED AFTER RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE THROUGH RPM RANGES 200- 2800.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 875 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 752 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,585 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F67 at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from NBE, 7 miles away
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.