What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Nosed over during wheel landing on sod runway. Wheels hit shallow ditch hidden by tall grass. (-23) the recently restored tailwheel Boeing stearman B-75 nosed over onto its topside after a wheel landing on the sod runway. The vintage open cockpit bi-wing airplane sustained substantial vertical fin, rudder, top wing, engine and propeller damage. Both occupants were wearing sturdy military type seat belts with shoulder harnesses and there was no injury to the pilot or non pilot passenger. The pilot said that he must have relaxed elevator pressure and then lost pitch control when the main wheels struck a shallow drainage ditch concealed by a thick layer of fresh springtime grass.
As the FAA filed it
NOSED OVER DURING WHEEL LANDING ON SOD RUNWAY. WHEELS HIT SHALLOW DITCH HIDDEN BY TALL GRASS. (-23) THE RECENTLY RESTORED TAILWHEEL BOEING STEARMAN B-75 NOSED OVER ONTO ITS TOPSIDE AFTER A WHEEL LANDING ON THE SOD RUNWAY. THE VINTAGE OPEN COCKPIT BI-WING AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL VERTICAL FIN, RUDDER, TOP WING, ENGINE AND PROPELLER DAMAGE. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING STURDY MILITARY TYPE SEAT BELTS WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES AND THERE WAS NO INJURY TO THE PILOT OR NON PILOT PASSENGER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE MUST HAVE RELAXED ELEVATOR PRESSURE AND THEN LOST PITCH CONTROL WHEN THE MAIN WHEELS STRUCK A SHALLOW DRAINAGE DITCH CONCEALED BY A THICK LAYER OF FRESH SPRINGTIME GRASS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.