NTSB SEA90LA059 — 1990-03-31 · BURNS, Oregon, United States

Current FAA registration · N663K

Make / Model: STEARMAN AIRCRAFT 4E
Year of manufacture: 1930 · 60 years old at event
Engine: P&W W-SC SERIES (450 hp)
Seats / Engines: 3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19710126
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A8C03F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N663K Stearman 4E None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.

Factual narrative

DURING THE LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE UNTIL OPPOSITE RUDDER AND BRAKE CONTROL WERE NO LONGER EFFICTIVE. THE AIRPLANE THEN VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED IN THE SOFT DIRT. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OF MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE WHEEL OR BRAKE DURING THE POST CRASH EXAMINATION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_SEA90LA059.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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