Boeing A75N1(PT17) accident near St Marys, Pennsylvania, March 12, 2015
On March 12, 2015 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1943 Boeing A75N1(PT17), registered N7772J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St Marys, Pennsylvania (St Marys Muni 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 failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusty crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2015 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- St Marys, Pennsylvania · St Marys Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75N1(PT17), built 1943 · all A75N1(PT17)s on the register
- Registration
- N7772J · registry record · serial 75-8175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner of the tailwheel-equipped biplane performed two low approaches prior to landing in order to "judge" the direction and speed of the wind. The pilot then performed a "wheel landing" to runway 10, a 4,300-foot-long, 75-foot-wide asphalt runway. However, by touchdown, the wind speed and direction had changed, which raised the left wing. The pilot corrected for the lifting of the wing, but the heading of the airplane diverged 10 to 15 degrees to the left of runway heading. At that point, the pilot elected to continue into the snow-covered apron, rather than struggle to maintain runway alignment, and risk the loss of aircraft control. The airplane's main landing gear "caught" as it entered the snow, the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted with substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 010 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,851 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 1,851 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2014; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AXQ Clarion PA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: OYM St Marys PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.54 inHg
- Observation at 3:05 pm from OYM
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 N7772J 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.