Boeing B75N1 accident near Culpeper, Virginia, September 1, 2018
On September 1, 2018 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1943 Boeing B75N1, registered N27WE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Culpeper, Virginia (Culpeper Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2018 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Culpeper, Virginia · Culpeper Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B75N1, built 1943 · all B75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N27WE · registry record · serial 75-6651
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the rear seat of the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that he and another pilot were practicing landings on the asphalt runway. During the landing roll, the airplane entered a left ground-loop, and the bottom right wing and aileron collided with the ground. The airplane sustained substantial to the bottom right wing and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,007 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 8,514 as pilot in command; 510 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,272 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,180 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,660 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R680-E3B (piston); 1,180 hours total
- Operator: Hangar 39 LLC
The flight
- Departed from: VA30 Culpeper VA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: CJR Culpeper VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KCJR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N27WE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA550.