Boeing PT-17 STEARMAN N38998

Summary

On 17 August 2003 at about 18:48 local time, a Boeing PT-17 STEARMAN registered N38998 was involved in an accident near Tuckasegee, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 August 2003 at 18:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Tuckasegee, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.2361, -83.0164

Aircraft

Boeing PT-17 STEARMAN

Registration

N38998

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Franklin → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL03FA127

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. A factor was drug impairment.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A local resident who witnessed the accident, stated that he saw the bi-plane flying extremely low as if it was trying to land, and then, as it went over a ridge, he heard what he described as a crash and then an explosion. Tree branches along the crash debris line exhibited 45-degree propeller strike marks and there were no mechanical problems reported by the pilot or discovered during the post-accident examination of the airplane. Amphetamine was detected in toxicological specimens from the pilot at elevated levels consistent with abuse of the substance. Marijuana was detected in toxicological specimens from the pilot at levels consistent with use within the previous 24 hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.