Stearman E-75 accident near Mt. Grove, Missouri, August 6, 1990
On August 6, 1990 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Stearman E-75, registered N5368N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Grove, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR WAS WATER CONTAMINATION IN FUEL TANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1990 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Grove, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stearman E-75
- Registration
- N5368N · registry record · serial 75-5128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE WAS MAKING TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS WHEN, ON ITS SECOND TAKEOFF, THE POWERPLANT FAILED DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION. THE AIRPLANE GLIDED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND CRASHED INTO THE TREES. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA REVEALED RUST AND SCALE IN THE FUEL TANKS WHICH HAD BEEN RECENTLY CLEANED BY THE PILOT. THIS CONTAMINATION WAS NOT NOTICED BY THE PILOT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:55 pm from TBN, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.