What happened
On 13 April 2016, a Boeing E75 Stearman, registration N43YP, was performing a private flight at North Weald Airfield in Essex. During the landing phase on Runway 20, the pilot utilized a wing-down approach technique with opposite rudder. The aircraft initially touched down on its mainwheels in a 'wheeler' landing style.
As the aircraft transitioned into a three-point attitude, the pilot experienced a loss of elevator authority, causing the tail to lower. Shortly after, the aircraft began to swing toward the right. Despite the application of full left rudder, the directional divergence continued. This resulted in the left wingtip and aileron making contact with the asphalt runway. The aircraft then exited the runway onto a grass area and encountered a paved taxiway, completing a 270-degree groundloop before coming to a stop. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's movement and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The control tower had reported winds from 240º at 4 knots, with intermittent gusts reaching 15 knots from 290º. The pilot noted that during the hour following the event, the windsock had appeared horizontal and perpendicular to the runway, suggesting the presence of significant crosswind gusts.
Physical damage to the aircraft included abrasions to the undersides of both the left and right wingtips and ailerons, as well as a fractured left wheel rim, which occurred as the aircraft crossed the interface between the grass and the paved surface.