N43286

On May 30, 1995, approximately 1357 mountain daylight time, a Boeing A75N1 "Stearman", N43286, being flown by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when the aircraft nosed over during an off airport landing immediately following takeoff from the Rawlins Municipal Airport, Rawlins, Wyoming. The pilot was uninjured and the passenger received minor injuries. No flight plan had been filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and was destined for Minden, Nevada.

The pilot reported that he departed on runway 28 and became airborne approximately midway down the 4,320 foot runway. He reported executing a right turn upon reaching 100 feet above ground and immediately thereafter noticed a loss of airspeed and cessation of the climb. He terminated the turn, which was taking him towards upsloping terrain and turned left toward down sloping terrain. The aircraft then touched down briefly and the pilot retarded the throttle and the aircraft impacted the terrain in a three-point attitude, then rolled and bounced across the terrain until it nosed over.

Airport elevation was 6,813 feet above sea level and the surface aviation weather observation taken at 1253 hours reported a temperature of 57 degrees F. Density altitude was approximately 8050 feet.

The pilot reported that there was "nothing wrong with the airplane - it was fine".