- Date
- March 22, 2000, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N541JKStearman A75N1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000322039879A
- Case key
- 48830
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 failure to maintain directional control after touchdown and the subsequent wing tip strike, ground loop, and runway excursion.
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 stated that winds reported at the time of his lan ding to runway 08 were from 020 degrees at 6 knots, and that all local pilots are aware of wind burbles in the touchdown area of that runway when winds are from a northerly direction. As he flared, the burble caused the aircraft to 'skip' on touchdown, the left wings lifted, and the right lower wing tip struck the runway. When directional control was lost, the pilot added power to miss a runway light, and a ground loop resulted.
Factual narrative
On March 22, 2000, about 0830 eastern standard time, a Stearman A75N1, N541JK, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained a ground loop during a landing at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and a passenger were not injured. The flight originated from the airport about 30 minutes before the accident.
According to the pilot, he was landing on Fort Lauderdale Executive's runway 8 with reported winds from 020 degrees at 6 knots. As he neared his flare point he encountered the "burble" that most local pilots, including himself, know exists when the wind is from a northerly direction. At touchdown the airplane "skipped" slightly and the left wings lifted causing the right lower wingtip to strike the runway. Once he sensed a ground loop was inevitable, he added power to miss the runway edge lights causing an excursion off the left edge of the runway.
According to FAA inspectors, the outboard 5 or 6 feet of the lower right wing was bent upward at a 25-degree angle, and both wing spars were broken. Inspection of the airplane's systems revealed no mechanical defects that would have contributed to the loss of directional control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N541JK
- Reported as
- Stearman A75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-4226
- Engine
- Continental W670-6A, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James W. Knight Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 12, 1999 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- FXE
- Airport
- FXE · Ft. Lauderdale Executive, runway 8, 6,001 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,167 total · 150 in this make and model · 942 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FXE, 1 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.