Christen Industries Pitts S-2B accident near Weston, Florida, December 14, 2000
On December 14, 2000 at about 2:52 pm local time, a Christen Industries Pitts S-2B, registered N260DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Weston, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight loss of control by both pilots while maneuvering, which resulted in an inverted flat spin, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with terrain/water. A factor contributing to the accident was the failure of both pilots to ensure that the aircraft's weight and center of gravity limitations had not been exceeded.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2000 · about 2:52 pm local time
- Place
- Weston, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries Pitts S-2B PITTS S-2B
- Registration
- N260DB · registry record · serial 5170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An FAA contract tower controller at the Hollywood North Perry Airport stated that at 0950 he received a radio communications transmission saying, "mayday mayday mayday pitts 260DB in an unrecoverable flat spin at 3,500 feet." The aircraft was discovered in an partially inverted, near vertical pitch attitude, in an area of heavy brush, sawgrass, and tall trees in the Everglades, in about 3 to 4 feet of water. The aircraft had incurred substantial damage, and the pilot/owner and PIC were found outside the aircraft, with both having sustained fatal injuries. An individual familiar with both pilots stated that the pilot normally flew the accident aircraft with the PIC occupying the front seat, while preparing to regain currency, and pass a biennial flight review, which had expired, but he had been having difficulty handling the aircraft, and was not yet ready for the flight review. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preaaccident failures or malfunctions to the aircraft structure, the flight controls, or the engine. Examination of N260DBs weight and balance revealed that the aircraft's weight and center of gravity limits had been exceeded. The aircraft weighed 1,745 lbs, and its estimated CG was about 90.87. According to the airplane flight manual, the airplane's weight limit in the aerobatic category is 1,625 lbs. Its forward CG limit is 89.58 at 1,625 lbs, and its most rearward CG limit is 90.50 at 1,625 lbs.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 587 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 1999; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lyc. AEIO540D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Pembroke Pines FL at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from FLL, 20 miles away
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.
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 MIA01FA041.