- Date
- June 18, 1995, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Helena, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1967MBoeing A75N1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 19, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950618040279A
- Case key
- 42167
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 pilots failure to maintain directional control. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
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 atp-rated pilot-in-command was providing a checkout to the owner/private pilot. During a touch-and-go with the owner at the controls, the airplane touched down left gear first in a crosswind, then veered sharply to the left. The PIC took the controls, and both pilots attempted corrective action. The airplane continued veering left as the tailwheel lock disengaged. The lower right wing panel impacted the runway during the ensuing groundloop.
Factual narrative
On June 18, 1995, about 1545 mountain daylight time, N1967M, a Boeing A75N1 Stearman, operated by the owner/pilot, groundlooped on landing and was substantially damaged in Helena, Montana. The airline transport pilot and the private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from Helena, and statements provided by both pilots, the owner of the airplane (a rated private pilot) was receiving a flight familiarization by the airline transport pilot. The airline transport pilot was not instructor rated. The pilots were conducting touch-and-go landings on runway 27 at the Helena Regional Airport. The airline transport pilot stated that the aircraft, with the private pilot at the controls, flared and touched down left gear first in a crosswind, then veered sharply to the left.
According to the airline transport pilot: "Realizing the owner was not correcting quickly and appropriately enough, I took full control, applied full right aileron and right rudder with maximum available braking." The aircraft continued veering left as the tailwheel lock disengaged. The lower right wing and aileron then contacted the runway. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported, and gusting wind conditions prevailed. The private pilot stated that both pilots applied opposite aileron and brake at the time of the groundloop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1967M
- Reported as
- Boeing A75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-440
- Engine
- Lycoming R-680-13, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James G. Valeo
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- HLN · Helena Regional Airport, runway 27, 8,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- 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
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 790 in this make and model · 2,550 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HLN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.