Pitts S2A and Pitts S2A accident near Redlands, California, June 3, 1984
On June 3, 1984 at about 7:07 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Pitts S2A (N6JP) and Pitts S2A (N80053), were involved in the same accident near Redlands, California (Redlands Municipal airport). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1984 · about 7:07 pm local time
- Place
- Redlands, California · Redlands Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Pitts S2A, amateur-built · all S2As on the register
- Registration
- N6JP · registry record · serial 2052-73
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Pitts S2A, amateur-built · all S2As on the register
- Registration
- N80053 · registry record · serial 2111-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Pitts S2A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WERE TO PERFORM & THE TWO PLTS AGREED TO A STAGGERED TAKEOFF WITH THE SECOND PLT COUNTING TO 5 PRIOR TO COMMENCING HIS TAKEOFF. THEY POSITIONED THEMSELVES ABREAST OF EACH OTHER ON THE RWY. THE PLT OF N6JP COMMENCED HER TAKEOFF FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE 75 FT WIDE RWY. UPON REACHING FULL THROTTLE, SHE EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER. SHE RETARDED THE THROTTLE & THE ENG BEGAN TO OPERATE PROPERLY. AS SHE WAS ABOUT TO APPLY FULL POWER, HER ACFT WASSTRUCK BY N80053. THE PLT OF N80053 HAD COUNTED TO 5 AFTER N6JP BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER ABOUT 50 FT OF THE TAKEOFFGROUND RUN, IN A 3-POINT ATTITUDE, N80053 COLLIDED WITH N6JP. THE COLLISION WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THERE IS NO FORWARD VISIBILITY IN A PITTS S2A WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL IS ON THE GROUND.
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 Pitts S2A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WERE TO PERFORM & THE TWO PLTS AGREED TO A STAGGERED TAKEOFF WITH THE 2ND PLT COUNTING TO 5 PRIOR TO COMMENCINGHIS TAKEOFF. THEY POSITIONED THEMSELVES ABREAST OF EACH OTHER ON THE RWY. THE PLT OF N65P COMMENCED HER TAKEOFF FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE 75 FT WIDE RWY. UPON REACHING FULL THROTTLE, SHE EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER. SHE RETARDED HER THROTTLE & THE ENG BEGAN TO OPERATE PROPERLY. AS SHE WAS ABOUT TO REAPPLY FULL POWER, HER ACFT WAS STRUCK BY N80053. THE PLT OF N80053 HAD COUNTED TO 5 AFTER N65P BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER ABOUT 50 FT OF THE TAKEOFFGROUND RUN, IN A 3-POINT ATTITUDE, N80053 COLLIDED WITH N65P. THE COLLISION WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THERE IS NO FORWARD VISIBILITY IN A PITTS S2A WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL IS ON THE GROUND.
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 Pitts S2A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 2,080 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 900 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from SBD, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Pitts S2A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,150 hours in all; 1,005 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 670 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
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.
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 LAX84LA331.