Stearman C3-R accident near Arlington, Washington, July 23, 2002
On July 23, 2002 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Stearman C3-R, registered N656K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arlington, Washington (Arlington Municipal 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 inadequate remedial action when responding to the swerve/veer of the tailwheel equipped aircraft, leading to a failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors include the pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model aircraft (less than one hour).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2002 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · Arlington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stearman C3-R
- Registration
- N656K · registry record · serial 5007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who purchased the aircraft on the day prior to the accident, and who had never flown this make and model biplane before, initiated the solo flight in an attempt to familiarize himself with the aircraft's flight characteristics. He successfully completed two touch-and-go landings, and was on his third attempt when the accident occurred. According to the pilot, he performed a wheel landing (touchdown on the main gear only), and had just lowered the tailwheel to the runway surface when the aircraft began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and ultimately right brake, but he was unable to correct the swerve/veer in time to keep the aircraft from turning further to the left. As the aircraft continued to turn toward the left side of the runway, the primary tubing structure of both right main gear legs failed, and the aircraft settled to the runway. In a post-accident telephone conversation, the pilot said that he felt he had not taken sufficient corrective action soon enough, and that by the time he applied full right rudder and applied the brake, the aircraft had veered to a point where it could not be realigned with the runway. There was no indication of any malfunction of the flight controls or of the tailwheel steering system.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,160 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 2, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 2002; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright J-6-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: AWO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KAWO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.