Stearman Aircraft C3-B accident near Everett, Washington, July 12, 2013
On July 12, 2013 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Stearman Aircraft C3-B, registered N6101H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Everett, Washington (Snohomish County - Paine Field). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2013 · about 7:20 pm local time · cases in 2013
- Place
- Everett, Washington · Snohomish County - Paine Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stearman Aircraft C3-B · all C3-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6101H · no longer on the register · serial 135
- 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 while en route, the airplane's engine began to make an abnormal noise and was running rough. He opted to make a precautionary landing at a nearby airport. The touchdown for the wheel-landing was normal and as the tailwheel settled onto the runway surface, the pilot held aft pressure on the control stick. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and, despite the pilot's efforts to regain directional control with right rudder application, the airplane ground looped. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane incurred substantial damage to the interconnect strut. The pilot initially reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, aside from the rough running engine. Later he submitted a statement that indicated he thought there was a possible failure of the landing gear. A postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,440 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 2013
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright J-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EPH Ephrata WA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: AWO Arlington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34L, 9,010 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 9, 2013. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversations: Pilot, FAA, Airport Manager, Owner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6101H: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Stearman Aircraft C3 17 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stearman Aircraft 33 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Wright J-5 9 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Seattle Paine Field International · nearest airport
- Ephrata Municipal · departed from
- Arlington Municipal · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,644 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR13CA327.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.