Stearman Crash at DCA- no one hurt

Going to go fly the old Champ today...plan on working on those wheel landings. Thanks for the advice!

 

Like Bob, I was taught to full stall it, 3 point as they say. If that stick wasn't poking me in the belly, that wasn't far enough back for my instructor. I learned to fly the Stearman on a grass strip in Buckley, WA so it was more forgiving than concrete.

I've done wheel landings and the idea is to keep the tail up until the tail itself stops flying and there isn't enough forward motion to generate lift, this gives you rudder authority for the longest amount of time and by the time that runs out you're on the tailwheel and steering it that way anyhow.

It looked like the brakes were locked upon touchdown to me from the smoke I saw in the video. I don't know if he has those brakes converted to disc or not; but those old stock expander tube brakes are notorious for getting stuck and sometimes breaking loose after it's too late.

That's the first thing I thought when I saw it end over so quickly. Anyone experienced at all in that plane knows that you only need brakes when you run up, turn tight or at the end of the runway and that didn't look like a "tap" to me. Maybe the guy in the front seat had the toe brakes on.???

I've been in that situation before and have the broken spar to prove it. ;-(

 

After learning full stall landings in the champ I was out practicing and kept bouncing the touchdown because I was landing with too much speed. I discovered that if I diddn't pull the stick back after touchdown it wouldn't bounce. Then I noticed that a little more speed made it even eaiser and smoother but then a little forward stick would keep it stuck. When I next flew with my instructor (my Dad) he said "Perfect wheel landing...but, I haven't taught you wheel landings... go around and land like I taught you!"

Dave

 

I think that what you are describing might be one of the techniques of doing a wheelie by "climbing up on it". Land in an almost three pointer and when the main wheels touch you push forward and keep it there. I've done that with the springy steel geared Cessnas but it's not a really good way to land everything.
I watched Addison Pemberton landing his Boeing Mod 40 and he sets up an easy rate of descent , tail slightly down and it greases it in on the big wheels and it just settles down when the tail stops flying. Beautiful sight to see AND to hear. The wires singing as he comes in over the fence. Wonderful sight.

 

I have heard of the expander tube brakes hanging up on Cubs and Super Cubs but never on a Stearman...not that they couldn't. However, the pilot of the plane in the mishap said that he "tapped the brakes" upon landing. Can't figure that out when there is at least 5000 feet of runway ahead.

 

These two were parked together Saturday at KMQY... The F18 is an old A+ model. The Stearman pilot took the F18 pilot for a ride, when they got back Navy pilot said the Stearman flew so slow that the loops felt more like back flips.

The 18 put on a show for all of us on departure...
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