Pitts S-2B accident near Shirley, New York, August 21, 2001
On August 21, 2001 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Pitts S-2B, registered N225SD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shirley, New York (Brookhaven airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot under instruction's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action during a simulated engine-out approach, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent ground impact.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2001 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Shirley, New York · Brookhaven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-2B · all S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N225SD · registry record · serial 5308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the day of the accident, the flight instructor and pilot under instruction planned to fly several normal traffic patterns, then perform a simulated engine-out landing. They executed a normal takeoff, and after completing the traffic patterns, the student announced over the radio he would be performing a simulated-engine-out landing. While on downwind, the student had to perform several "s- turns" to maintain separation from a slower airplane ahead. On final, the airplane was low and slow. The right wing then dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground about 530 feet short of the runway. The flight instructor had approximately 3,000 hours of total flight experience. He was actively flying in the accident airplane make and model, and had accumulated about 2,000 hours in them. The student had 535 hours of total flight experience, and 56 hours in make and model. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions, and the pilot under instruction could not remember experiencing any mechanical difficulties.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 535 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 397 as pilot in command; 95 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 414.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWV Shirley NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from ISP, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 NYC01FA212.