Stearman B75N1 N14GC

Summary

On 22 January 2020 at about 22:10 local time, a Stearman B75N1 registered N14GC was involved in an accident near Vacaville, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 January 2020 at 22:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Vacaville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Nut Tree Airport (VCB)

Coordinates

38.3736, -121.9567

Aircraft

Stearman B75N1

Registration

N14GC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1942

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vacaville → Vacaville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA073

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over when the right wheel encountered mud.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while practicing stop-and-go landings, the airplane took off, and he then made a standard traffic pattern to land. The airplane touched down on the numbers with both main wheels. When the tailwheel touched down, the pilot felt a wind gust from the east, which tipped the left wing down. He attempted to correct with right aileron, but when the wings became level, the right wheel exited the runway surface and sank into mud. The airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.