Stearman B75 accident near Zephryhills, Florida, February 23, 2018
On February 23, 2018 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1942 Stearman B75, registered N62438, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Zephryhills, Florida (Zephyrhills Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power and impact with a pole during a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2018 · about 7:15 pm local time · cases in 2018
- Place
- Zephryhills, Florida · Zephyrhills Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stearman B75 N1, built 1942
- Registration
- N62438 · no longer on the register · serial 75-6757
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, before departure, the airplane had 17 gallons of fuel for the flight to another airport where he planned to stop to refuel. He added that, after 45 minutes of flight and while the airplane was descending through 1,800 ft above ground level, the engine lost power. While on final approach and about 3 miles from the airport, he realized that the airplane would not reach the runway, so he chose to conduct an emergency landing on a road. Just before touchdown, the right wing impacted a traffic light pole and then the airplane impacted the ground. During postaccident examination of the airplane, no fuel was found in the fuel system. Postaccident examination of the engine (and fuel system) revealed the presence of some debris in the carburetor fuel screen and the fuel sump. Otherwise, no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot’s preflight fuel planning was inadequate because he did not ensure that sufficient fuel was onboard for the flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Fuel related during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management other cases naming the fuel system
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,547.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 2017; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,635 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670-6N (piston); 228 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LEE Leesburg FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: ZPH Zephyrhills FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from ZPH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Forward view of airplane, with engine separated from fuselage
Photo 2 – View of undercarriage of airplane showing crushed right wing
Photo 3 – View of recovered airplane showing fuselage damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 9, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record FAA Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Handbook for Stearman Airplanes | PDF, 39 pages | View Download |
| 4 | W670 Aircraft Engine Manual | PDF, 141 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N62438 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N62438: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Engine: Continental W670-6N 52 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Zephyrhills Municipal · nearest airport
- Leesburg International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 985 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,699 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N62438 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA18LA086.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.