- Date
- July 12, 2013, 12:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Everett, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6101HStearman C3-B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130712013319A
- Case key
- 87479
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 maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while en route, the airplane's engine began to make an abnormal noise and was running rough. He opted to make a precautionary landing at a nearby airport. The touchdown for the wheel-landing was normal and as the tailwheel settled onto the runway surface, the pilot held aft pressure on the control stick. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and, despite the pilot's efforts to regain directional control with right rudder application, the airplane ground looped. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane incurred substantial damage to the interconnect strut. The pilot initially reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, aside from the rough running engine. Later he submitted a statement that indicated he thought there was a possible failure of the landing gear. A postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while en route, the airplane's engine began to make an abnormal noise and was running rough. He opted to make a precautionary landing at a nearby airport. The touchdown for the wheel-landing was normal and as the tailwheel settled onto the runway surface, the pilot held aft pressure on the control stick. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and, despite the pilot's efforts to regain directional control with right rudder application, the airplane ground looped. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane incurred substantial damage to the interconnect strut. The pilot initially reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, aside from the rough running engine. Later he submitted a statement that indicated he thought there was a possible failure of the landing gear. A postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6101H
- Reported as
- Stearman C3-B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 135
- Engine
- Wright J-5, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 2013
- Departed
- EPH · Ephrata, WA
- Destination
- AWO · Arlington, WA
- Airport
- PAE · Snohomish County - Paine Field, runway 34L, 9,010 × 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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 18, 2013
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 2,440 total · 10 in this make and model · 2,200 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 307 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.