20181006016729A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Boeing A75N1(PT17) · New Orleans, LA · October 6, 2018

Date: October 6, 2018 · 11:15 local
Place: New Orleans, LA
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N56949
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA009
Reported as: Boeing A75N1(PT17)
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,631 total251 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N56949Registered now · Boeing A75N1(PT17)S/N 752793 · Built 1944 Airframe modelBoeing A75N1(PT17)Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot was flying his stearman to knew to place on display for upcoming airshow. Approaching from north over lake ponchartrain, pilot was cleared by tower to land straight in on rwy 18L. Pilot received a wind check on final and felt he could safely land on that runway.

At approximately 5 feet, he experienced a downdraft which caused a hard bounce. The airplane went airborn again and drifted with the wind to the right. The pilot added power to attempt a go-around. But his training taught him that the 450 stearman does not have enough rudder to remain straight with full power below 80 knots. So he elected to cut the throttle and land in the grass next to the runway. As soon as he cut power, he regained control and would have made a successful landing, but the airplane hit a runway sign causing the damage.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS FLYING HIS STEARMAN TO KNEW TO PLACE ON DISPLAY FOR UPCOMING AIRSHOW. APPROACHING FROM NORTH OVER LAKE PONCHARTRAIN, PILOT WAS CLEARED BY TOWER TO LAND STRAIGHT IN ON RWY 18L. PILOT RECEIVED A WIND CHECK ON FINAL AND FELT HE COULD SAFELY LAND ON THAT RUNWAY.

AT APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET, HE EXPERIENCED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH CAUSED A HARD BOUNCE. THE AIRPLANE WENT AIRBORN AGAIN AND DRIFTED WITH THE WIND TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND. BUT HIS TRAINING TAUGHT HIM THAT THE 450 STEARMAN DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUDDER TO REMAIN STRAIGHT WITH FULL POWER BELOW 80 KNOTS. SO HE ELECTED TO CUT THE THROTTLE AND LAND IN THE GRASS NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. AS SOON AS HE CUT POWER, HE REGAINED CONTROL AND WOULD HAVE MADE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING, BUT THE AIRPLANE HIT A RUNWAY SIGN CAUSING THE DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA19CA009Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportNew Orleans, LAThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.Oct 6, 2018 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N56949 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20231107018169ILanding: Touchdown · New Orleans, LAPilot indicated that on 11/7/2023 he was flying to the slidell, LA airport to practice takeoffs and landings in his stearman airplane. He departed from New Orleans Lakefront Airport(new). When he departed new, the tower told the pilot that his transponder was…Nov 7, 2023 · Minor damage Incident 20230305001729ILanding: Touchdown · New Orleans, LAPilot left lakefront airport heading to slidell, pilot recieved call from tower stating his transponder was not working, pilot made the decision to turn around and go back to lakefront airport and fix the transponder, pilot had no choice in runways, 9 was…Mar 5, 2023 · Minor damage