CHI99LA199

The airplane ground looped while landing. The pilot reported the winds were light and variable from the southeast, for the landing on runway 23. He stated there was no crosswind correction required during the approach and landing. The pilot stated the airplane veered sharply to the left during the landing roll and he was unable to correct the movement. The right main gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest facing the direction opposite the landing. Local winds at the time of the accident were reported as variable at six knots. The pilot reported being told that at the time of the landing the wind sock was straight out and perpendicular to the runway. No evidence of a brake failure/malfunction was discovered during the post accident inspection of the airplane.

On June 26, 1999, at 1610 eastern daylight time (edt), a Boeing Stearman B75N1, N2PP, ground looped on while landing on runway 23 (3,999' X 100', asphalt) at the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport, Kalamazoo, Michigan. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated from Kalamazoo, Michigan, about 1550 edt.

The pilot reported the accident occurred during his eleventh flight of the day. He stated the winds were reported as light and variable from the southeast, and he was landing on runway 23. He stated he made a "...normal three point landing..." without any wind correction required. The pilot stated that the beginning of the landing roll was straight on the runway, but "Within a very short period the aircraft began to veer sharply to the left. Corrective action with full right rudder had no effect in stopping the excursion which very rapidly developed into a skid from which I could not recover."

The airplane turned approximately 180-degrees prior to coming to rest. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wings and wings struts were bent.

The pilot reported, "I have been told by one eyewitness pilot that the wind sock located fifty yards from the scene was straight out and perpendicular to Runway 23 when I came to rest. Another pilot informed me that he encountered a sudden gust in the same vicinity earlier in the day, causing a wing rise after touchdown."

Winds reported at the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport at the time of the accident were variable at six knots.

The airplane was inspected by an Inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Grand Rapids Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that there was no evidence to indicate that the brakes had locked up during the landing.