Stearman
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 9050; Flight Crew Type 130
Situational Awareness
Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Human Factors; Weather
I was landing a Stearman in a light crosswind (230 at 8-10kts) on runway 28R. As I approached flare height; I felt a slight tailwind gust that often happens at this airport with a south or southwesterly wind. I noticed that the midfield windsock then turned to a direct crosswind. In retrospect; I should have added power; gone around and notified ATC that I needed the runway more aligned with the wind. As I touched down in a 3-point attitude; I had left aileron deflection against the left crosswind and right rudder to keep the nose straight. The aircraft was pointed left and continued left; weather vaning into the wind despite full opposite rudder. The airplane left the runway surface and continued to turn left - I was loathe to use right brake because the dual puck Cleveland brakes on our Stearman are very effective and I was concerned about nosing over. The airplane continued left in a ground loop and; approaching 180 degrees to the runway direction; the left main gear left the surface of the grass and the right wing tip creased the ground. The airplane came to a rest pointing northward after a 270 degree turn about 20 feet south of the runway. ATC asked if we were alright (there was a passenger in the front cockpit) and I replied in the affirmative. I advised ATC that I was shutting the aircraft down to leave the cockpit and inspect the damage. I discovered that the extent of the damage was a small tear in the fabric on the wingtip and the edge of the right aileron. Determining that the airplane was safe to taxi; my passenger and I returned to the aircraft; and I started the engine; turned on the radio and requested taxi clearance back onto the runway and onto Charlie taxiway - which was granted. I held short of Runway 28L as instructed and; once cleared; crossed 28L and called ground control which authorized me to taxi back to the hangar. As I wrote; when I felt that tailwind gust I should have powered up; gone around and requested a different runway. The airport was busy; ATC was busy; and I allowed those circumstances to influence my decision to continue the landing on 28R.
Stearman pilot lost control of his aircraft when he encountered a tailwind gust during landing; resulting in a ground loop and slight wing tip damage.