N55133

On April 26, 2003, at 1310 central daylight time, a Boeing A75N1 tailwheel-equipped airplane, N55133, owned and operated by Classic Planes Inc. of Spring, Texas, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped while landing on runway 17 at the SugarLand Regional Airport, Houston, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), near Tomball, Texas, at 0900.

The 17,500-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that during landing, the "main wheels touched down as normal." As the tail of the aircraft settled onto the runway, it "encountered a wind shift/gust that raised the left wing." Subsequently, the aircraft veered to the right and exited the runway. The lower left wing struck the ground, and the left rear section of the fuselage struck the runway Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lighting system.

Examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed the outboard 3 feet of the lower left wing was bent upward approximately 45 degrees. The left side of the fuselage, aft of the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer, was punctured.

Runway 17 is 8,000-feet long and 100-feet wide. At the time of the accident, the winds were reported as variable at 6 knots.