Stearman E75 accident near Jackson, Georgia, September 4, 2010
On September 4, 2010 at about 1:07 pm local time, a Stearman E75, registered N1370V, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Jackson, Georgia (Seven Lakes Airport). 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 diverted attention toward an unsecured engine cowl door after takeoff which resulted in his failure to maintain airspeed and altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2010 · about 1:07 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Georgia · Seven Lakes Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stearman E75 N1
- Registration
- N1370V · registry record · serial 75-5185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after takeoff, at an altitude of 100 feet above the ground, the engine’s right side cowling door became unsecured. He stated that the door was banging in the air flapping onto the top of the cowling. As the pilot began to maneuver toward the airport to land, the cowling started to move to the closed position, and the pilot attempted to further close the door with rudder input. The pilot stated that he was fixated on keeping the cowling closed and inadvertently let the airspeed slow to the point that the airplane started to descend rapidly. The pilot applied full power to recover, but did not have enough altitude to regain flying speed. The airplane impacted trees, resulting in substantial damage to the upper and lower wings. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the cowling camlocks and found them to be in good condition.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,920 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 14,130 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,163 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670-6N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 62GA Jackson GA at 1:07 pm
- Destination: THA Tullahoma TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,900 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from OPN, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N1370V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.