NTSB Factual Report

On May 1, 2005, about 1720 eastern daylight time, a Boeing B75N1 (Stearman), N1066M, was substantially damaged while landing at Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpeper, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Flying Circus Aerodrome (3VA3), Warrenton, Virginia. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot stated that he was returning to Culpeper, and noted that the automated weather observation system (AWOS) reported the wind from 310 to 340 degrees, at 10 to 16 knots. He chose to land on runway 4, a 5,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot further stated that landing in either direction on the runway would result in a direct crosswind. The airplane touched down on the main gear, just past the runway number, with excess speed. As the tailwheel dropped, the airplane bounced several times, weathervaned, and veered left. The pilot attempted to correct with right brake, left aileron, and right rudder inputs; however, the brakes locked and the airplane came to rest inverted on the runway.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. A factor was the crosswind.