- Date
- August 1, 2013, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Appleton, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N234XStearman A75
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130801013529A
- Case key
- 87672
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the crosswind, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Prior to landing, the pilot listened to the automated weather station which reported the wind out of the west at 8 knots; the pilot would land on runway 21 for a normal crosswind landing. During the landing roll, the right wing lifted suddenly, the left wing contacted the ground, and the airplane ground looped. The pilot then asked the air traffic controller what the wind was, the air traffic controller responded that the wind was at 14 knots, gusting to 19 and getting stronger. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
Factual narrative
Prior to landing, the pilot listened to the automated weather station which reported the wind out of the west at 8 knots; the pilot would land on runway 21 for a normal crosswind landing. During the landing roll, the right wing lifted suddenly, the left wing contacted the ground, and the airplane ground looped. The pilot asked the air traffic controller the wind information, the air traffic controller responded that the wind was at 14 knots, gusting to 19 and getting stronger. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N234X
- Reported as
- Stearman A75
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-260
- Engine
- Lycoming R680E SERIES, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Operator
- American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum Inc
- Registered owner
- American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KATW · Appleton, WI
- Destination
- KATW · Appleton, WI
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KATW · Outagamie County Regional, runway 21, 8,002 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 14, 2013
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 19,273 total · 214 in this make and model · 10,202 as pilot in command · 217 in the last 90 days · 112 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KATW
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 380 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N234X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.