- Date
- August 6, 1990, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mt. Grove, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5368NStearman E-75
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900806031799A
- Case key
- 14744
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 maintenance and servicing of the aircraft. A factor was water contamination in fuel tank.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The vintage airplane was making takeoff and landings when, on its second takeoff, the powerplant failed due to fuel contamination. The airplane glided straight ahead and crashed into the trees. Post crash investigation by the FAA revealed rust and scale in the fuel tanks which had been recently cleaned by the pilot. This contamination was not noticed by the pilot during his preflight inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5368N
- Reported as
- Stearman E-75
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-5128
- Engine
- P&W 985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert D. Johnston
- Registered owner
- Robert D Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 57
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- TBN, 37 nm away
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 N5368N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.