Boeing A75N1(PT17) Stearman, N53488, Allen Chorman & Son Inc (and) Mooney M20J, N201HK, American Industrial & Marine Electronics Inc: Accident occurred November 27, 2015 at Chorman Airport (D74), Farmington, Kent County, Delaware

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ERA16CA057AB  Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

N53488 Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

N53488 Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Allen Chorman & Son Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N53488

NTSB Identification: ERA16CA057A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 27, 2015 in Farmington, DE
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/15/2016
Aircraft: BOEING A75N1(PT17), registration: N53488
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

N201HK Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

N201HK  Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

http://registry.faa.gov/N201HK

NTSB Identification: ERA16CA057B
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 27, 2015 in Farmington, DE
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/15/2016
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J, registration: N201HK
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

According to the pilots of the Mooney and the Boeing tail-wheel biplane, they arrived at the non-towered airport and entered the traffic patterns for opposing sides of the 3,588-foot-long by 37-foot-wide runway at approximately the same time. The Mooney entered the pattern on a left downwind for runway 34. The pilot stated he made radio calls over the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency at each leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot of the biplane entered the left 45-degree entry for downwind to runway 16 because winds appeared to favor that runway. The biplane was not equipped with a two-way radio. As the pilot of the Mooney touched down on runway 34, he saw the biplane on the opposite end. The Mooney pilot stopped his airplane on the runway about 300 feet from the biplane, and observed the biplane continue to taxi towards him. When it appeared that the biplane was not going to stop, he applied power and took take evasive action to the left. The pilot of the biplane had limited forward visibility due to its nose high, tail-wheel configuration, and he was unable to "s-turn" the biplane as he taxied due to the runway's narrow width. He did not did not see the Mooney until it passed under his right wing and they collided. Neither pilot reported any mechanical problems with their respective airplanes. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined both airplane's after the accident noted that each had been substantially damaged during the collision. The Mooney tail assembly was partially detached from the fuselage and bent 25 degrees to the left, while the bottom right wing spar of the biplane was damaged.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
Both pilots' failure to maintain visual separation during landing at non-towered airport. Contributing to the accident was the Mooney pilot's lack of prompt evasive action once the biplane had been spotted on the same runway.