- Date
- March 20, 1999, 12:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N52558Boeing Stearman A75N1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990320002319A
- Case key
- 45949
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 gusty and variable crosswind condition, which led to a loss of directional control and 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 pilot said this was the third flight of the day and the winds 'were acting up.' The wind checks on final from the tower were 140 degrees at 10 knots with gusts, and a second one of 160 degrees at 15 knots shortly thereafter. The pilot stated that he touched down in a wheel landing, rolled a short distance, and the aircraft suddenly turned 90 degrees to the left. The pilot noted that he encountered a wind phenomena that was abrupt and without warning, and was unable to make any corrections. The right landing gear collapsed and the right lower wing was bent.
Factual narrative
On March 20, 1999, at 1220 hours mountain standard time, a Boeing Stearman A75N1 (PT17), N52558, ground looped while landing on runway 22L at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona. The aircraft, originating from Falcon Field about 1130, was returning from a local area personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. Operated by the pilot, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
In a telephone interview with the Safety Board, the pilot said this was the third flight of the day and the winds "were acting up." The wind checks on final from the tower were 140 degrees at 10 knots with gusts, and a second one of 160 degrees at 15 knots shortly thereafter. The pilot stated that he touched down in a wheel landing, rolled a short distance, and the aircraft suddenly turned 90 degrees to the left. The pilot noted that he encountered a wind phenomena that was abrupt and without warning, and was unable to make any corrections. The right landing gear collapsed and the right lower wing was bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52558
- Reported as
- Boeing Stearman A75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-4894
- Airframe hours
- 5,269
- Engine
- Lycoming R680E, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Russell L. Allen
- Registered owner
- Edgar T Newberg
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 19, 1998 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- FFZ
- Airport
- FFZ · Falcon Field, runway 22L, 5,102 × 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 11,746 total · 65 in this make and model · 5,500 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FFZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.