N56760

On March 7, 2000, at 1330 hours Pacific standard time, a Stearman A-75, N56760, was substantially damaged when the aircraft veered off runway 14 (5,304 feet by 100 feet) and flipped inverted during landing at Imperial County Airport, Imperial, California. The airline transport certificated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The personal flight, operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91, departed from Borrego Springs, California, at 1245. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that, during rollout on runway 14 after landing, the aircraft veered to the left. When he made a correction toward the center of the runway, the aircraft made about a 30-degree turn to the right and the lower left wing went down and contacted the runway. The aircraft continued to veer to the right, off the runway into sand, and nosed over. The pilot reported there were no mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft. He was flying the aircraft from the rear cockpit.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot said he had recently acquired the aircraft. The pilot's accident report form stated he had 300 hours in the make and model aircraft but no time in make and model within the previous 90 days.

The Imperial surface winds at 1350 were from 170 degrees at 13 knots.