What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 11, 1998, at 1408 hours pacific daylight time, a stearman E75, N770WM, sustained substantial damage following collision with the end of a tractor/trailer truck while attempting to return to the Oakland, California, airport. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The truck driver was not injured; however, a passenger in the truck was 8 months pregnant and, although she did not complain of any injuries, she was transported to a hospital for monitoring of the fetus. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was to be a banner tow flight over a stadium where a professional football game was being played. The pilot stated he was maneuvering to pickup the banner when the engine stopped producing power. After verifying the fuel and the magnetos were on, he pumped the throttle but the engine did not respond. With the aircraft rapidly descending he aimed for a concrete pad in an open construction area on the airport perimeter. A tractor/trailer truck was transiting from left to right along the perimter on a road that was perpendicular to the aircraft's flight path. The right wing of the aircraft struck the end of the trailer and the aircraft went through two fences. During impact the engine separated from the aircraft. (-23) engine stopped running as pilot terminated climb out phase of flight. Pilot attempted to return to field, checked fuel valve and pumped throttle during descent. Aircraft struck fence and passing truck causing substantial damage. Pilot sustained minor injuries. Investigation determined aircraft had adequate fuel and no mechanical faults that would cause engine failure. Pilot's experience with this aircraft was limited to three hours prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 11, 1998, AT 1408 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A STEARMAN E75, N770WM, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING COLLISION WITH THE END OF A TRACTOR/TRAILER TRUCK WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE TRUCK DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, A PASSENGER IN THE TRUCK WAS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AND, ALTHOUGH SHE DID NOT COMPLAIN OF ANY INJURIES, SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL FOR MONITORING OF THE FETUS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT WAS TO BE A BANNER TOW FLIGHT OVER A STADIUM WHERE A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL GAME WAS BEING PLAYED. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS MANEUVERING TO PICKUP THE BANNER WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. AFTER VERIFYING THE FUEL AND THE MAGNETOS WERE ON, HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. WITH THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY DESCENDING HE AIMED FOR A CONCRETE PAD IN AN OPEN CONSTRUCTION AREA ON THE AIRPORT PERIMETER. A TRACTOR/TRAILER TRUCK WAS TRANSITING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ALONG THE PERIMTER ON A ROAD THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE END OF THE TRAILER AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH TWO FENCES. DURING IMPACT THE ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. (-23) ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AS PILOT TERMINATED CLIMB OUT PHASE OF FLIGHT. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO FIELD, CHECKED FUEL VALVE AND PUMPED THROTTLE DURING DESCENT. AIRCRAFT STRUCK FENCE AND PASSING TRUCK CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE FUEL AND NO MECHANICAL FAULTS THAT WOULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. PILOT'S EXPERIENCE WITH THIS AIRCRAFT WAS LIMITED TO THREE HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.