Pitts S2B accident near Salinas, California, October 11, 1999
On October 11, 1999 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Pitts S2B, registered N50AL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salinas, California (Salinas Muni 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 inadequate compensation for the effects of torque and P-factor during a go-around from a bounced landing, which led to a loss of control and the inadvertent dragging of a wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1999 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2B · all S2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N50AL · registry record · serial 5067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Calm wind conditions prevailed as the pilot completed six touch-and-go landings. On the next landing the airplane bounced, and the pilot initiated a go-around as part of the recovery attempt. He said the airplane veered left off the runway heading and was going toward the control tower. He banked right to return to the runway centerline and the right wing tip drug the ground. The airplane then settled into the ground and the wing and propeller were damaged.
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: 227 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNS at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SNS
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.