What happened
On May 28, 2006, a Boeing Stearman A75N1, registration N62TS, was participating in an aviation promotion festival at the Seia Aerodrome. During a demonstration flight over the local area, the pilot noticed fuel leaking from the fuel tank vent on the upper left wing. Uncertain of the cause, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing to investigate the leak.
Upon landing on runway 08, the aircraft initially touched down on the main gear with the tail in the air. The pilot noticed the aircraft drifting toward the left side of the runway and attempted to correct this by applying right rudder and momentarily increasing engine power. This maneuver caused the aircraft to swing sharply to the right. The aircraft's right wheel lifted off the ground, and the lower left wingtip contacted the runway. The aircraft then veered off the runway, crossed a wire fence, and came to rest in a vertical position (nose-down) with the engine and right wing leading edge on the ground.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's mechanical condition, and the pilot's maneuvers. The investigation confirmed that the fuel leak was caused by overfilling the tank, which led to fuel expansion as temperatures rose. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's use of controls during the landing phase, specifically the use of differential braking and rudder input while the tailwheel was still airborne.
Findings
- The pilot's corrective action to counter the leftward drift was excessive, triggering an uncontrolled rightward turn.
- The combination of maximum right rudder deflection, the conventional landing gear configuration, and the fact that the tailwheel was not yet firmly on the ground facilitated the sharp turn.
- The aircraft's excursion was further exacerbated by the slope of the runway shoulder and the impact with the perimeter fence, which caused the nose to dip and the tail to lift.
- The pilot remained uninjured, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage to the left wing leading edge and a propeller blade.
- There was no damage to third parties.