Pitts S-2B accident near Bozeman, MT
On December 7, 1997, a Pitts S-2B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bozeman, MT. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 7, 1997
- Place
- Bozeman, MT
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-2B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.770°N, 110.930°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09299
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 7, 1997, approximately 1453 mountain standard time, a Pitts S-2B, N693SB, owned/operated by a private owner, and a Cessna P206A, N2664X, owned/operated by a private owner, collided in-flight near Bozeman, Montana. N693SB was destroyed and the private pilot was fatally injured. N2664X was destroyed, the commercial pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. Both flights were being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area where the accident occurred. The flight of N693SB originated from Gallatin Field, near Bozeman, Montana, approximately 19 minutes before the accident. N2664X was en route to Red Lodge, Montana, from Whitehall, Montana, at the time of the accident. Neither pilot had filed a flight plan. The radio log, which was kept by the Bozeman Weather Station at Gallatin Field Airport, indicated that the pilot of N693SB announced at 1418 that he was taxiing to runway 12. At 1434, the pilot of N693SB transmitted that he was departing from runway 12 and would be exiting the traffic pattern left, northbound. According to a witness, N693SB was observed performing aerobatic maneuvers near Montana State University campus. He then flew northbound and was observed by another witness flying close to and parallel to another airplane. Another witness reported seeing N693SB "tipping its wings (straight on its side) one way, then the other." This same witness observed N693SB continue north "doing tricks, when it suddenly went straight down." Cessna N2664X radioed the Bozeman Weather Station on Gallatin
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to maintain visual lookout. Factors were the pilot of N693SB not following procedures and directives, and using poor judgment in regards to where he performed aerobatics.
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Browse: Montana · Pitts aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
