Accident Details
On September 5, 2020, about 1430 central daylight time, a Stearman A75N1 (PT17), registration N373VU, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Henderson, Texas. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot was delivering the aircraft to a buyer, flying from Paris, Texas, to Cleveland, Texas.
Sequence of Events
The flight originated from Paris, Texas, with a planned fuel stop at Rusk County Airport (RFI) in Henderson, Texas. The airplane was refueled with about 20 gallons of fuel approximately 20 minutes before takeoff. During the takeoff from runway 35, shortly after rotation, the pilot noticed the airplane felt "mushy" despite the engine producing power and sounding as if it were "screaming." The pilot described the airplane as "seeming to hang from the propeller." He initiated a left turn to return to the runway and attempted to level off. After leveling off, the tail struck trees, and the airplane descended vertically.
A witness observed the airplane taxiing and then taking off from runway 35, climbing to about 150 feet. The witness thought the engine lost power, though it was still running, and saw the airplane turn left and appear to stall before disappearing behind a tree line.
The passenger reported that after takeoff, the airplane was turning left but the right wing kept rising. The pilot instructed her to get down. She briefly saw the airspeed indicator showing about "sixty" as the airplane hit trees.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage was located in a densely wooded area to the left of the departure end of runway 35. The airplane was about 80 degrees nose down, with the empennage resting against a tree. Both upper and lower wings were substantially damaged, and the forward fuselage and engine compartment were buckled. The aft empennage and vertical stabilizer were also buckled. A fuel smell was present at the site. Visual inspection of the engine and flight controls revealed no obvious pre-impact anomalies. One propeller blade was splintered consistent with rotation at impact; the other was broken at the tip. A fuel sample from the source at RFI tested normal.