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August 29, 2001 · Boeing Stearman A75N1 · N53411

Shelton, WA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 29, 2001
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Shelton, WA
Aircraft
Boeing Stearman A75N1
Tail Number
N53411
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
SEA01LA162

After an uneventful touchdown, the tailwheel-equipped aircraft began veering to the right during the landing roll. Although the pilot applied full left rudder, the aircraft did not respond. The pilot therefore applied partial left braking along with the full left rudder deflection. Although this caused the aircraft to begin tracking straight, the tail lifted off the ground and it began to nose over. When it started to nose over, the pilot released the brake application, but the aircraft continued over onto its back. It was later determined that the right brake was dragging/binding during the landing roll, and the amount of left brake necessary to keep the aircraft tracking straight resulted in the aircraft nosing over.

NTSB Probable Cause

The binding/grabbing of the right main gear braking system during the landing roll.

Full Narrative

On August 29, 2001, approximately 1140 Pacific daylight time, a Boeing Stearman A75N1, N53411, nosed over while landing on the grass alongside the asphalt runway at Sanderson Field, Shelton, Washington. The pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed the same location about 40 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, who was landing the tailwheel-equipped aircraft in calm wind conditions, the initial touchdown was uneventful, as was the beginning of the landing roll. However, during the rollout, the aircraft began to "...veer to the right." The pilot attempted to correct the situation by applying left rudder, but the aircraft did not respond to the full-left rudder input. He therefore added left brake application to the left rudder input that he was already applying. Although he was able to keep the aircraft from veering any further to the right by application of both left rudder and left brake, this resulted in the aircraft's tail lifting off the runway, and it began to nose over. The pilot therefore released his brake application, but the aircraft continued over onto its back. According to the pilot, after the accident, he checked the brakes, and the right side was considerably warmer than the left. The pilot also said that when he tried to tow the aircraft back to its hangar after the accident, he had trouble moving it until he backed off the adjustment of the right brake. The FAA Airworthiness Inspector who looked at the aircraft was unable to determine if there were any anomalies in the braking system, and because the brake adjustment had been backed off on the right side, he was unable to determine if the brakes had been out of adjustment.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:40 PDT
Nearest AirportSanderson Field (0nm)
Runway23
Runway Length1600 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBoeing Stearman A75N1
Tail NumberN53411
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · R680-17 · Reciprocating · 225
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 38 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility20 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 5000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data