Stearman C3-B N3440
20 September 2008 · Stevenson, Washington, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 20 September 2008 at about 16:45 local time, a Stearman C3-B registered N3440, operated by Tobin Larry F, was involved in an accident near Stevenson, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 16:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Stevenson, Washington, United States
- Coordinates
- 45.6931, -121.8844
- Aircraft
- Stearman C3-B
- Registration
- N3440
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Tobin Larry F
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Portland → Pascoe
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA08LA206
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation from a piece of disintegrating gasket material that was blocking the fuel jet. Also causal was the failure of maintenance personnel to verify the condition of the gaskets when the carburetor was examined prior to installation on the engine.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he had completed a cross-country flight reenacting the airmail route. During the flight, the pilot had applied carburetor heat, but the engine lost power. He attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful; he then performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a tree and sustained substantial damage. While the pilot had purchased the engine and carburetor that were over 60 years old, they were in new condition and had been in storage. A maintenance facility bench tested the carburetor and it checked within limits, but due to its pristine condition it was not disassembled prior to installation on the engine. The carburetor operated for 110 hours before disintegrating gasket material entered into the main fuel jet and disrupted the fuel flow, which allowed the engine to lose power. Postaccident examination of the carburetor showed that after the gasket material was removed from the jet the carburetor operated normally.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Stearman C3 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 2011 | Stearman C3-B | Spokane, Washington, United States | Tobin Larry F | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jul 2013 | Stearman C3-B | Everett, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 2002 | Stearman C3-R | Arlington, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 1977 | Stearman C3-R | Rockland, Maine, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1967 | Stearman C3-R | Ducor, California, United States | John Coughlin | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2008 | Cessna T182T | Point Roberts, Washington, United States | David A. Smith | No injuries | - |
| 9 May 2008 | Thorp T-18 | Kent, Washington, United States | Roger Thompson | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Jul 2008 | Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR | Arlington, Washington, United States | Northwest Aviation Center | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 2008 | Bell 206B | Cougar, Washington, United States | Northwest Helicopters | Serious injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 2008 | Cessna 172N | McMurray, Washington, United States | Brenda Lee Houston | Fatal | 3 |
| 13 Jan 2008 | Piper PA-12 | Centerville, Washington, United States | Dwayne A. Hansen | Minor injuries | - |