Christen Industries PITTS S-2B accident near Hawthorne, California, September 20, 1993
On September 20, 1993 at about 4:04 pm local time, a Christen Industries PITTS S-2B, registered N88EW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawthorne, California (Hawthorne Muni Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
dual student's failure to maintain directional control and improper use of the rudder and the CFI's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1993 · about 4:04 pm local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, California · Hawthorne Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries PITTS S-2B
- Registration
- N88EW · registry record · serial 5073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT/DUAL STUDENT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN A CONVENTIONAL GEAR (TAILWHEEL) AIRPLANE. DURING THE ROLL-OUT ON THE SECOND LANDING, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE DUAL STUDENT TO APPLY LEFT RUDDER. THE DUAL STUDENT APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND THE AIRPLANE SWERVED VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT. THE CFI WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE VIOLENT LEFT TURN AND THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 13,760 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 13,550 as pilot in command; 11,080 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,102 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1993; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-A4D4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HHR at 3:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,956 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:05 pm from HHR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N88EW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.