Aerotek PITTS S2A accident near Thermal, California, June 11, 1990
On June 11, 1990 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Aerotek PITTS S2A, registered N29MC, was destroyed in an accident near Thermal, California (Thermal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE DURING AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1990 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Thermal, California · Thermal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotek PITTS S2A · all PITTS S2As on the register
- Registration
- N29MC · registry record · serial 2095
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE PRECEDING WEEK THE PILOT HAD BEEN REGULARLY PRACTICING AEROBATICS. DURING THE PRECEDING 6 MONTHS THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED 15 HOURS OF AEROBATICS INSTRUCTION. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT DEPARTED THERMAL AIRPORT TO PRACTICE AEROBATICS. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE FOLLOWING DAY. GROUND SCARS AND WRECKAGE EXAMINATION INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN INVERTED, WINGS LEVEL, 75 DEG NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE, AND AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH VELOCITY.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 732 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 662 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 997 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1990; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.