Aerotek PITTS S-2A accident near Pompano Beach, Florida, July 10, 1986
On July 10, 1986 at about 1:47 pm local time, a Aerotek PITTS S-2A, registered N31496, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pompano Beach, Florida (Pompano Beach Airpark 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
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
- July 10, 1986 · about 1:47 pm local time
- Place
- Pompano Beach, Florida · Pompano Beach Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotek PITTS S-2A · all PITTS S-2As on the register
- Registration
- N31496 · registry record · serial 2240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT AS POWER WAS APPLIED TO TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT THEN TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT AS IT LEFT THE RWY, AFTER WHICH THE LEFT GEAR BECAME STUCK IN SAND. THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 1,040 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 1,580 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,567 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 13, 1986; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 A1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from PMP
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.
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.