Boeing A75N1(PT17) N68117 and Fairchild M62A N73529 accident near Valley Center, Kansas

Probable cause

The other pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and to see and avoid the airplane stopped on the edge of the runway.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and to see and avoid the airplane stopped on the edge of the runway.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped Fairchild airplane reported that after landing on the 2,400-foot long by 100-foot wide private grass runway, he pulled off to the right of the runway about 2/3 of the way down with his engine at idle power to watch a Stearman airplane, which he had been flying in tandem with, land. The Fairchild pilot further reported that the Stearman appeared to be approaching a little fast, touched down about 1/2 way down the runway, and started drifting to the right, toward the stopped Fairchild.

The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped Stearman biplane reported that during the landing roll he was looking out of the left side of the Stearman, misjudged the width of the grass runway, and "clipped [the Fairchild] on [the] edge of runway". The Stearman then impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the lower left wing and both right wings.

The Fairchild sustained substantial damage to the engine cowl and firewall.

The Fairchild pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Stearman pilot reported that it was possible that the tailwheel bracket was broken prior to the airplane colliding with the Fairchild and impacting trees.

In a postaccident interview with the investigator-in-charge (IIC), the Stearman pilot reported that during the initial preflight and taxi of the airplane, the tailwheel bracket "looked good" and he had no issues steering during taxi and takeoff.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA053 for the full record.