Boeing Stearman PT-17 N4923N

Summary

On 15 October 1994 at about 15:55 local time, a Boeing Stearman PT-17 registered N4923N was involved in an accident near Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 1994 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Fitchburg Municipal (FIT)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Boeing Stearman PT-17

Registration

N4923N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sterling → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC95LA010

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the crosswind condition during landing, which resulted in a ground loop and the subsequent wing tip collision with the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AND THE 26 HOUR STUDENT PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE, DEPARTED IN THE AIRPLANE FOR A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, 'DURING THE LANDING, TOUCH DOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 32. A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND CAME FROM THE RIGHT; I APPLIED HARD LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKE WITH NO EFFECT, DURING THIS TIME THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE PAVEMENT. THE PLANE LEFT THE RUNWAY ONTO THE TURF; THERE, WITH THE LEFT BRAKE LOCKED, THE LOOP HALTED, BUT THE NOSE SLOWLY TIPPED DOWN.' THE CFI REPORTED 'THE ENTIRE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT SLOW SPEED, APPARENTLY TOO SLOW FOR THE FLIGHT CONTROL TO HAVE ANY COUNTERING EFFECT.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.