CHANDLER, AZ, USA
N15KR
Pitts S-2B
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 22L CENTERLINE AT A SPEED WHICH WAS 'A LITTLE EXCESSIVE.' THE RUNWAY WAS 4,850 FEET LONG BY 75 FEET WIDE. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED THREE TIMES AS IT SLOWLY VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE COULD NOT CLEARLY SEE BECAUSE HE WAS 'BLINDED BY THE COMBINATION OF SUN AND BUGS.' WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TAXIWAY SIGN. THE POSITION OF THE SUN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE ABOUT 20 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY HEADING AND 1.4 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON.
On October 18, 1994, at 1745 mountain standard time, a Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, N15KR, operated by Chandler Air Service, collided with a taxiway sign during landing rollout at the Chandler Municipal Airport, Chandler, Arizona. The airplane was substantially damaged, and neither the private pilot nor the passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the personal flight which originated from Chandler at 1715. The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the right side of runway 22L's centerline, and at a speed which was "a little excessive." The runway was 4,850 feet long by 75 feet wide. The airplane bounced three times as it slowly veered off the runway. The pilot further reported that, at the time, he could not clearly see because he was "blinded by the combination of sun and bugs." While attempting to realign the airplane with the runway, the airplane impacted a taxiway sign.
the pilot's failure to maintain proper alignment with the runway during landing rollout. A contributing factor was sun glare.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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