What happened
On 26 July 2009, a Boeing ST 75 Stearman, registration SE-BOG, was performing a private flight at Edinburgh Airport. During the approach to Runway 24, the weather conditions featured a 10-knot wind from 160° and visibility of 10 km under an overcast ceiling of 1,500 ft.
The pilot executed a landing on the left main wheel as required by the crosswind, maintaining the tail wheel and right main wheel off the ground until the aircraft reached approximately 40 kt. Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a minor swing to the right. While the pilot attempted to correct this movement, the aircraft subsequently swung sharply to the left.
In an effort to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot applied full right rudder and braking. This maneuver led to a ground loop. During the rotation, the right wingtip made contact with the runway surface, and the right tyre burst before the aircraft finally came to a stop. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board, though the aircraft sustained damage to the lower right wingtip.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and subsequent discussions between the pilot and the AAIB. The investigators examined the flight sequence, the environmental conditions at the time of the landing, and the pilot's corrective actions during the touchdown phase.