- Date
- June 12, 2003, 15:43 local (22:43 UTC)
- Place
- Casa Grande, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6030VBoeing Stearman E75
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030612031219A
- Case key
- 57238
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 wind conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in an inadvertent ground loop.
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 airplane ground looped on runway touchdown after it encountered a crosswind gust. As a result, the right wing rose, and the aircraft veered 20 degrees to the right of the runway. The pilot attempted to recover by quickly adding power, but the left wingtip impacted the ground. The aircraft ground looped and came to rest inverted about 40 yards north of the runway. The Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) reported winds from 200 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) reported winds from 280 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots.
Factual narrative
On June 12, 2003, at 1543 mountain standard time, a Boeing Stearman E75, N6030V, ground looped after encountering a crosswind gust while landing at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ), Casa Grande, Arizona. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country flight departed Blythe Airport (BLH), Blythe, California, about 1500, en route to CGZ. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The primary wreckage was at 32 degrees 57 minutes north latitude and 111 degrees 46 minutes west longitude.
During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that as the aircraft touched down on runway 23, a gust of wind blew from the left. As a result, the right wing rose, and the aircraft veered 20 degrees to the right of the runway. The pilot attempted to recover by quickly adding power, but while still in ground effect, the left wingtip impacted the ground. The aircraft ground looped and came to rest inverted about 40 yards north of the runway.
The pilot checked the Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) prior to landing, which reported winds from 200 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. He also observed the windsock, which appeared to show calmer winds.
The Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) for the time of the accident reported winds from 280 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6030V
- Reported as
- Boeing Stearman E75
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-3630
- Airframe hours
- 6,490
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard Elzinga
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2003 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- BLH · Blythe, CA
- Destination
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
- Airport
- CGZ · Casa Grande Municipal Airport, runway 23, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 4, 2001
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,072 total · 91 in this make and model · 920 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.72 inHg
- Observed at
- CGZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.