Stearman C3-B N3440

Summary

On 16 July 2011 at about 22:00 local time, a Stearman C3-B registered N3440, operated by Tobin Larry F, was involved in an accident near Spokane, Washington, 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

16 July 2011 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Spokane, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Felts Field (SFF)

Coordinates

47.6756, -117.3250

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

Spokane → Spokane

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11CA336

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing. Contributing to the accident was the touch down in a slide-slip.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was involved in a biplane fly-in that was going on at the time of the accident. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, witnesses observed the airplane in a left side-slip during landing. The airplane subsequently touched down in the side-slip on the left wheel. The pilot applied full right rudder to compensate, then right brake to straighten out the airplane; however, the left landing gear strut collapsed, and the airplane entered into a slow speed ground loop, substantially damaging the lower wing. The pilot stated there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.