Stearman E75 N1524M

Summary

On 21 September 2020 at about 23:49 local time, a Stearman E75 registered N1524M was involved in an accident near Honea Path, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 2020 at 23:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Honea Path, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Ashley Fld (SC01)

Coordinates

34.4436, -82.3564

Aircraft

Stearman E75

Registration

N1524M

Category

Airplane

Year built

1943

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA326

1 person was seriously injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of an engine cylinder and the pilot’s subsequent decision to overfly several suitable forced-landing sites while attempting to return to the departure airstrip.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane departed and was in a continuous climb at 70 mph, at 2,500 rpm. The pilot observed a cylinder depart the engine and experienced a partial loss of engine power. A video of the event recorded the sound of the engine becoming quieter and the tachometer showed a continuous 1,000 rpm reading following the separation. The video captured the airplane maneuvering over open fields suitable for a forced landing as it descended back towards the departure airstrip. The recording ended before the airplane was destroyed by contact with trees and terrain 500 feet prior to the landing strip. Examination of the nine-cylinder radial engine revealed a separated cylinder, with all of its associated mounting studs fractured. Three of the mounting studs displayed features consistent with fatigue, likely due to inadequate torque applied at overhaul, which was completed less than 100 aircraft hours prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.