Pitts S-2B accident near Spokane, Washington, February 25, 1995
On February 25, 1995 at about 1:15 am local time, a Pitts S-2B, registered N49335, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT. FACTORS WERE THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE PILOT/OWNER'S FAILURE TO CONDUCT RECURRING CRANKSHAFT INSPECTIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1995 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-2B · all S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N49335 · registry record · serial 5102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE AEROBATIC AIRPLANE WAS PRACTICING AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN WHEN THE PROPELLER AND CRANKSHAFT FLANGE SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE PILOT RECOVERED FROM THE MANEUVER, THEN MADE A FORCED LANDING ONTO A 780 FOOT MODEL AIRPLANE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SETTLED INTO SOFT SOIL AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN CONDUCTING RECURRENT CRANKSHAFT FLANGE INSPECTIONS, AS RECOMMENDED BY A MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,723 hours in all; 652 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,608 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 708 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1994; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFF WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2530 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.