Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Weston, Florida 33326
Thursday, December 14, 2000 9:52 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
An FAA contract tower controller at the Hollywood North Perry Airport stated that at 0950 he received a radio communications transmission saying, "mayday mayday mayday pitts 260DB in an unrecoverable flat spin at 3,500 feet." The aircraft was discovered in an partially inverted, near vertical pitch attitude, in an area of heavy brush, sawgrass, and tall trees in the Everglades, in about 3 to 4 feet of water. The aircraft had incurred substantial damage, and the pilot/owner and PIC were found outside the aircraft, with both having sustained fatal injuries. An individual familiar with both pilots stated that the pilot normally flew the accident aircraft with the PIC occupying the front seat, while preparing to regain currency, and pass a biennial flight review, which had expired, but he had been having difficulty handling the aircraft, and was not yet ready for the flight review. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preaaccident failures or malfunctions to the aircraft structure, the flight controls, or the engine. Examination of N260DBs weight and balance revealed that the aircraft's weight and center of gravity limits had been exceeded. The aircraft weighed 1,745 lbs, and its estimated CG was about 90.87. According to the airplane flight manual, the airplane's weight limit in the aerobatic category is 1,625 lbs. Its forward CG limit is 89.58 at 1,625 lbs, and its most rearward CG limit is 90.50 at 1,625 lbs.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An inflight loss of control by both pilots while maneuvering, which resulted in an inverted flat spin, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with terrain/water. A factor contributing to the accident was the failure of both pilots to ensure that the aircraft's weight and center of gravity limitations had not been exceeded.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/14/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 952 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Weston |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33326 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 260855N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803806W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 100 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FLL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1100 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11755 |
| NTSB Notification Source | News Media |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 14 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2002 12:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N260DB |
| NTSB Number | MIA01FA041 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Christen Industries |
| Aircraft Model | Pitts S-2B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PITTS S-2B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 5170 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1625 |
| 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 | Dec 20 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 79 |
| Airframe Hours | 587 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James Louis Murphy |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2200 NE 33rd Ave, Apt. 16B |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Lauderdale |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33305 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | HWO |
| Departure City | Pembroke Pines |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| 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 | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 10 2002 3:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |