Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westminister, Maryland 21158
Sunday, September 19, 1999 13:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed on a private grass strip, to the northwest. After landing, the airplane contacted a hole, and the pilot over applied the brakes. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Tire tracks, similar to those of airplane tire skid marks, were found on the grass strip, leading to the point where the airplane came to rest. The grass strip was not approved for airplane use by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); however, the pilot had landed there in the past. The winds reported at an airport 25 miles away were from a heading of 160 at 7 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taxiing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1306
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WESTMINISTER
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21158
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 300
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 146
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 776
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 973
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 739
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29743
NTSB Number NYC99LA232
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing Stearman
Aircraft Model PT17
Aircraft Series Identifier PT17
Aircraft Serial Number 75-2718
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 30 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GUSTAVUS MCLEOD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21717 GLENDALOUGH RD
Aircraft Owner City GAITHERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20882
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GAI
Departure City GAITHERSBURG
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 1500
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --