Stearman C3-R N656K

Summary

On 23 July 2002 at about 20:30 local time, a Stearman C3-R registered N656K was involved in an accident near Arlington, Washington, United States. One person was 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

23 July 2002 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Arlington, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Arlington Municipal (AWO)

Coordinates

48.1517, -122.1514

Aircraft

Stearman C3-R

Registration

N656K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA136

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate remedial action when responding to the swerve/veer of the tailwheel equipped aircraft, leading to a failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors include the pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model aircraft (less than one hour).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who purchased the aircraft on the day prior to the accident, and who had never flown this make and model biplane before, initiated the solo flight in an attempt to familiarize himself with the aircraft's flight characteristics. He successfully completed two touch-and-go landings, and was on his third attempt when the accident occurred. According to the pilot, he performed a wheel landing (touchdown on the main gear only), and had just lowered the tailwheel to the runway surface when the aircraft began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and ultimately right brake, but he was unable to correct the swerve/veer in time to keep the aircraft from turning further to the left. As the aircraft continued to turn toward the left side of the runway, the primary tubing structure of both right main gear legs failed, and the aircraft settled to the runway. In a post-accident telephone conversation, the pilot said that he felt he had not taken sufficient corrective action soon enough, and that by the time he applied full right rudder and applied the brake, the aircraft had veered to a point where it could not be realigned with the runway. There was no indication of any malfunction of the flight controls or of the tailwheel steering system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.