Aerotek PITTS S-2A accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, March 8, 2017
On March 8, 2017 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1980 Aerotek PITTS S-2A, registered N1230S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near West Palm Beach, Florida (North Palm Beach County Genera 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2017 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North Palm Beach County Genera · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotek PITTS S-2A, built 1980 · all PITTS S-2As on the register
- Registration
- N1230S · registry record · serial 2216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, after completing 12 to 13 touch-and-go landings on a grass runway in crosswind conditions, he planned to complete a full-stop landing. He added that, during the landing roll, the airplane "departed the runway to the right" into marshy terrain and nosed over. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector, a few hours after the accident, he examined the grass runway and found no abnormalities with the surface. The nearest automated weather observation station, located 12 nautical miles from the accident airport, about the time of the accident, recorded wind from 190° at 7 knots. The pilot reported that he landed on runway 26 left.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 13 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 15, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,359.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,575 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-AIE (piston); 40 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F45 West Palm Beach FL at 2:38 pm
- Destination: F45 West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 3,679 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KPBI, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA17CA181.