Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New Smyrna Beac, Florida 32168
Tuesady, February 17, 1998 17:20 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that they were performing flat spin maneuvers when the propeller assembly stopped turning, and the engine quit. Attempts, by the pilot, to restart the engine, failed. The pilot surveyed the immediate area for an emergency landing area. The pilot selected a landfill for an emergency landing. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear, sank into the soft soil, and flipped over on the left side. Examination of the airplane disclosed that the starter drive assembly was stuck, and it was also jammed against the engine flywheel. The starter drive assembly was described as being 'gummed up'. After the starter drive assembly was freed the engine started normally. According to the Chief Test Pilot for Aviat Aircraft Inc, Pitts Aviation Enterprises, Inc., and other S-2A pilots, it is not uncommon for the S-2A to experience a loss of engine power during the execution of a flat spin. The normal restart procedure requires the use of the starter assembly. Examination maintenance records disclosed that the airframe maintenance procedures were completed in accordance with prescribed procedures.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and, the jammed engine starter drive assembly, that prevented an engine restart in flight. A factor was the soft terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/17/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1720 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | NEW SMYRNA BEAC |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32168 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 44J |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 25 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 5 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DAB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 25 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 360 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 550 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 294 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 17 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 16 2001 11:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N32TP |
| NTSB Number | ATL98LA045 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Pitts |
| Aircraft Model | S-2A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | S-2A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2179 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 12 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7 |
| Airframe Hours | 1390 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TIMOTHY T. PLUNKETT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1809 WRIGHT DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | DAYTONA BEACH |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32124 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 44J |
| Departure City | DAYTONA BEACH |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1700 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2001 6:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |