Stearman A-75 accident near Imperial, California, March 7, 2000
On March 7, 2000 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Stearman A-75, registered N56760, was substantially damaged in an accident near Imperial, California (Imperial County airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2000 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Imperial, California · Imperial County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stearman A-75
- Registration
- N56760 · registry record · serial 75-017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing rollout on runway 14, the aircraft veered to the left and, when the pilot made a correction toward the center of the runway, then veered to the right. The lower left wing of the biplane contacted the runway surface as the aircraft went off the 100-foot-wide runway into sand, and nosed over. The surface winds were from 170 degrees at 13 knots. The pilot reported there were no mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft and he was flying the aircraft from the rear cockpit.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1999; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L08 Borrego Springs CA at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,304 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from IPL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N56760 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.