What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While back taxiing on 28 collided with N75511 that was departing on same runway. (-23) on October 4, 1997, at approximately 2030 UTC, two aircraft, a boeing-stearman N75511, and a Waco-Cto NC9577H, collided on runway 28 at pam's Place airport (78I). The Waco, piloted by Mr. Thomas s. lozier of fishers, IN, was back taxiing runay 28 after landing. At the same time the stearman, piloted by Mr. Roger a. newman of greenwood, IN, departed the ramp area north of the approach end of runway 28, having discharged one passenger and picked up another, then taxied onto runway 28 for departure. Due to the limited visibility inherent to the configuration of both biplane aircraft during ground operations, and also the inability to see the departure end of the runway from the approach end due to a pronounced rise of the terrain at approximately the midpoint, the stearman pilot completed several "s-turns" prior to commencing his takeoff roll on runway 28 without seeing the Waco back taxiing up the runway. The Waco pilot having checked the traffic patten for the other aircraft and faced with a similar situation from the departure end of the runway failed to see the stearman approaching during its takeoff roll. At approximately the mid point of the runway the two aircraft collided with the point of impact being concentrated in the left wing areas of both aircraft. The Waco suffered substantial damage to its upper and lower left wings. The stearman, under takeoff power, suffered substantial damage to its upper and lower left wings and right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. Both aircraft contained a pilot and one passenger; however, no injuries were sustained by any of the occupants of either aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE BACK TAXIING ON 28 COLLIDED WITH N75511 THAT WAS DEPARTING ON SAME RUNWAY. (-23) ON OCTOBER 4, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 2030 UTC, TWO AIRCRAFT, A BOEING-STEARMAN N75511, AND A WACO-CTO NC9577H, COLLIDED ON RUNWAY 28 AT PAM'S PLACE AIRPORT (78I). THE WACO, PILOTED BY MR. THOMAS S. LOZIER OF FISHERS, IN, WAS BACK TAXIING RUNAY 28 AFTER LANDING. AT THE SAME TIME THE STEARMAN, PILOTED BY MR. ROGER A. NEWMAN OF GREENWOOD, IN, DEPARTED THE RAMP AREA NORTH OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 28, HAVING DISCHARGED ONE PASSENGER AND PICKED UP ANOTHER, THEN TAXIED ONTO RUNWAY 28 FOR DEPARTURE. DUE TO THE LIMITED VISIBILITY INHERENT TO THE CONFIGURATION OF BOTH BIPLANE AIRCRAFT DURING GROUND OPERATIONS, AND ALSO THE INABILITY TO SEE THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY FROM THE APPROACH END DUE TO A PRONOUNCED RISE OF THE TERRAIN AT APPROXIMATELY THE MIDPOINT, THE STEARMAN PILOT COMPLETED SEVERAL "S-TURNS" PRIOR TO COMMENCING HIS TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 28 WITHOUT SEEING THE WACO BACK TAXIING UP THE RUNWAY. THE WACO PILOT HAVING CHECKED THE TRAFFIC PATTEN FOR THE OTHER AIRCRAFT AND FACED WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY FAILED TO SEE THE STEARMAN APPROACHING DURING ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. AT APPROXIMATELY THE MID POINT OF THE RUNWAY THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE POINT OF IMPACT BEING CONCENTRATED IN THE LEFT WING AREAS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT. THE WACO SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ITS UPPER AND LOWER LEFT WINGS. THE STEARMAN, UNDER TAKEOFF POWER, SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ITS UPPER AND LOWER LEFT WINGS AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR. BOTH AIRCRAFT CONTAINED A PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER; HOWEVER, NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY ANY OF THE OCCUPANTS OF EITHER AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.
Other reports on N9577H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.