# NTSB NYC99LA232: Boeing Stearman PT17, N29743, Westminister, MD, September 19, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 1999, 13:06 local (17:06 UTC) - Place: Westminister, MD - Coordinates: 39.65092, -77.039474 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6509&lon=-77.0395&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 3, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47450 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99LA232 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47450/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA232 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taxiing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose over, taxi - from landing - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot landed on a private grass strip, to the northwest. After landing, the airplane contacted a hole, and the pilot over applied the brakes. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Tire tracks, similar to those of airplane tire skid marks, were found on the grass strip, leading to the point where the airplane came to rest. The grass strip was not approved for airplane use by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); however, the pilot had landed there in the past. The winds reported at an airport 25 miles away were from a heading of 160 at 7 knots. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 1999, about 1306 Eastern Daylight Time, a Boeing Stearman PT-17, N29743, was substantially damaged during landing to a private grass strip in Westminister, Maryland. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight which originated at the Montgomery County Airpark Airport (GAI), Gaithersburg, Maryland. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated he landed on the grass strip, to the northwest. While taxiing to a hangar, the airplane contacted a hole and the pilot "over applied the brakes." The propeller then struck the ground and the airplane flipped over. The pilot exited the airplane and later turned it upright using cranes provided by the owner of the property. The pilot reported that a gravel road intersected the grass strip at its midpoint. The strip sloped uphill about 7-8 degrees, toward the road, and downhill about 12-13 degrees beyond the road. According to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, examination of the grass strip revealed tire tracks across the gravel road, similar to those of airplane tire skid marks. The tracks stopped at the point where the airplane came to rest, about 100 feet past the intersecting road, on the 1,500 foot long grass strip. Upon visual inspection of the airplane, the Inspector found that the vertical stabilizer and rudder were crushed; however, one wooden strut from the vertical stabilizer remained upright and extended from the fuselage about 2 1/2 feet. The horizontal stabilizer and elevator were undamaged, and three out of four of the wing struts were bent. The wooden propeller was damaged at both tips and was splintered throughout the length of the blade. The grass strip was not approved for airplane use by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); however, the pilot reported he had landed there in the past. The winds reported at an airport about 25 miles from the accident site, were from 160 degrees at 7 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: N29743 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Boeing Stearman PT17 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 75-2718 - Engines: Continental R-670 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gustavus Mcleod - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 30, 1999 - Departed: GAI, GAITHERSBURG, MD - Destination: NONE - Airport: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 6,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BWI, 25 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 19990919044499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990919044499A), Sep 19, 1999: Boeing A75N1, Westminster, MD, No damage. (-23) The pilot stated he was taxiing back after landing, hit a hole, gunned the power and flipped over. The land owner stated to the Maryland state police he… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.