- Date
- April 30, 1999, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Olympia, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N56208Boeing Stearman 1B75A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990430005609A
- Case key
- 46445
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 adequately compensate for wind conditions. A factor contributing to the accident was a crosswind during the landing roll out.
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
While on landing rollout, in a crosswind situation, the aircraft swerved to the right and became uncontrollable. The aircraft ground looped, causing damage to the left wing and aileron. At the time of the accident, the pilot reported the winds from 230 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. There was no report of mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On April 30, 1999, about 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Boeing Stearman, N56208, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged while landing at Olympia Airport, Olympia, Washington. The aircraft was being operated as a 14CFR91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft's last departure point was Chehalis, Washington, approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured.
The pilot stated that while on the landing rollout, on runway 17, the aircraft "swerved to the right" and became uncontrollable. The aircraft ground looped, causing damage to the left wing and aileron. At the time of the accident, the pilot reported the winds from 230 degrees at 10 to 12 knots.
The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56208
- Reported as
- Boeing Stearman 1B75A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-2443
- Airframe hours
- 1,200
- Engine
- P&W R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John C. Dimmer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CLS · Chehalis, WA
- Destination
- OLM
- Airport
- OLM · Olympia Airport, runway 17, 5,419 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,050 total · 750 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.