# NTSB MIA97LA149: Boeing B75N1, N133R, Huntersville, NC, April 24, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 24, 1997, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place: Huntersville, NC
- Coordinates: 35.409599, -80.839805 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4096&lon=-80.8398&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 29, 1997
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38271
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA149
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38271/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA149

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout on landing rollout, resulting in an on-ground collision with a known obstacle (ditch) and subsequent nose over.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor)
  - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

The pilot stated he had been flying out of the private airfield for about 15 years. He was making a full stop landing and forgot about a ditch that crossed the runway. During rollout, the airplane encountered the ditch and nosed over.

## Factual narrative

On April 24, 1997, at about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Boeing Stearman, B75N1, N133R, registered to a private owner crashed on landing rollout  at a private airstrip in the vicinity of Huntersville, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Bradford Field,  Huntersville, North Carolina, about 10 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated he had been flying out of the airfield about 15 years. There is a ditch/low spot that runs across runway 24 about 500 feet from the end of the runway. He normally lands long to clear the known obstruction, however, he did not think about it while making this approach. He made a wheel landing and continued with the landing rollout. The tailwheel hit the ditch/low spot and pitched the nose downward. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N133R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N133R), registered now, S/N 75-6881, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Boeing B75N1
- Registry model: [Boeing B75N1](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-b75n1) (registry code 1380144) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental W670 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (registry code 17018, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 75-6-81
- Airframe hours: 66
- Engines: Continental W-670-6A 220 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Larry E. Morris
- Registered owner: Robert Frear
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection: Annual, November 3, 1996, 22 hours before
- Departed: NC05
- Airport: NC05, Bradford Field, runway 24, 3,800 × 100 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 4,335 total, 350 in this make and model, 4,377 as pilot in command, 270 in the last 90 days, 87 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,300 ft broken
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: CLT, 190 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19970424006509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970424006509A), Apr 24, 1997: Boeing B75N1, Huntersville, NC, Substantial damage. Nosed over during wheel landing on sod runway. Wheels hit shallow ditch hidden by tall grass. (-23) the recently restored tailwheel Boeing stearman B-75 nosed…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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