- Date
- July 5, 1999, 18:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Marston Mills, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1658MBoeing Stearman E75
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 10, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990705008099A
- Case key
- 46764
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 inadvertent control interference of the airplane's brakes by the passenger. A factor related to the accident was the pilot in commands insufficient passenger briefing.
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, who was in the rear seat of the airplane, stated that after touching down on Runway 27, a 2,680 foot-long grass runway, the airplane suddenly nosed over, and came to rest inverted. After the accident, the pilot asked his pilot rated passenger, who was seated in the forward seat, if he had his feet on the brakes. The passenger replied yes. The pilot additionally stated that he did not brief the passenger on the operation or use of the brakes prior to flight, and there were no means of communication while the airplane was in flight.
Factual narrative
On July 5, 1999, about 1810 Eastern Daylight Time, a Boeing Stearman E-75, N1658M, was substantially damaged while landing at the Marston Mills Airport, Marston Mills, Massachusetts. The certificated commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot, who was in the rear seat of the airplane, stated that after touching down on Runway 27, a 2,680 foot long grass runway, the airplane suddenly nosed over, and came to rest inverted. After the accident, the pilot asked his passenger, who was seated in the forward seat, if he had his feet on the brakes. The passenger replied yes. The pilot additionally stated to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that he did not brief the passenger on the operation or use of the brakes prior to flight, and there were no means of communication while the airplane was in flight.
The winds reported by an airport located 7 miles to the east, at 1756, were from 310 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1658M
- Reported as
- Boeing Stearman E75 (E-75)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-5173
- Airframe hours
- 3,112
- Engine
- Continental W670-6N, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard A. Kornhiser
- Registered owner
- Cape Cod Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 10, 1998 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- 2B1
- Airport
- 2B1 · Cape Cod Airport, runway 27, 2,680 × 70 ft, grass/turf
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 5,498 total · 98 in this make and model · 5,353 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HYA, 7 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.