Pitts S-2B accident near Long Beach, California, February 1, 2003
On February 1, 2003 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Pitts S-2B, registered N300PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach Daugherty airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive pull up, which resulted in a failure to obtain/maintain flying speed and a subsequent stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 2003 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach Daugherty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-2B · all S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N300PS · registry record · serial 5340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a loss of control, which resulted in a stall/mush while practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The pilot stated he "lost control" of the airplane during a landing and added power to execute a go-around and pulled up. An airline pilot, who reported having approximately 11,500 hours total time with about 250 hours in the Pitts S-2B, witnessed the accident. He said that when he first saw the airplane it was on a divergent course to the left side of runway 25R at an altitude of 5 feet. As the airplane came to the left edge of the runway it made a pull up, resulting in the nose coming up about 60 degrees. It continued on its upward path while rotating right. At approximately 25 feet, the nose passed vertical; at the 180-degree point of rotation, the right wing struck the ground followed by the nose. The witness pilot further reported that the airplane landed with a left, quartering tailwind of an estimated 8 knots. A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. The brakes and tailwheel steering were found in working order. Flight control continuity could not be established because of the post impact fire.
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: 730 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2002; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hart Air, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 6:20 pm
- Destination: LGB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25R, 3,192 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from LGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N300PS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX03LA081.