Aerotek PITTS S-2A accident near Reidsville, North Carolina, April 27, 1996
On April 27, 1996 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Aerotek PITTS S-2A, registered N8040, was destroyed in an accident near Reidsville, North Carolina (Rockingham County airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane while performing an acrobatic maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1996 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Reidsville, North Carolina · Rockingham County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotek PITTS S-2A · all PITTS S-2As on the register
- Registration
- N8040 · registry record · serial 2083
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, '[the] accident occurred immediately after inverted ribbon cut.' After cutting the ribbon the flight continued to descend and struck the runway while still inverted. The airplane slid off the left side of the runway into the grass, and caught fire as the pilot exited. No discrepancies were found with either the airframe or engine.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC14
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from GSO, 10 miles away
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.