# Accident 20111023026499A: Piper PA-18-135, Dyersburg, TN, October 23, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 23, 2011, 13:56 local time
- Place: Dyersburg, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0714° N, 89.3703° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0714&lon=-89.3703&mi=10
- Aircraft: N27295 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-135
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 239 total, 30 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12CA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111023026499A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING SHORT FIELD LANDINGS ON A PLOWED BEAN FIELD. ON THIS LANDING...HE EXPLAINED THAT HE MAY HAVE APPLIED TOO MUCH BRAKING AFTER A BOUNCE. THE MARKS ON THE FIELD INDICATED A TOUCHDOWN PRIMARILY ON THE LEFT MAIN, A BOUNCE, THEN ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN, STILL PRIMARILY ON THE LEFT MAIN. THE LEFT MAIN TIRE TREAD HAD A CONTACT AREA FILLED WITH DIRT AND A CORRESPONDING SHALLOW RUT IN THE SOIL, INDICATING A WHEEL LOCK. THERE WAS A MORE SHALLOW, LESS DISTINCTIVE RUT IN THE SOIL CORRESPONDING TO THE RIGHT MAIN. LANDING WAS PRIMARILY TO THE NORTHWEST. AT ABOUT 100-150 FEET FROM INITIAL TOUCHDOWN AND AT THE END OF THE RUTS, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED OVER, WITH ITS PROPELLER CONTACTING THE GROUND, COMING TO REST ON ITS BACK, WINGS LEVEL. THE PILOT EGRESSED, UNINJURED. BOTH PROPELLER BLADES BENT,  BOTH WING TIPS DAMAGED (SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE LEFT), BOTH WING MAIN STRUTS BENT, FUSELAGE DAMAGE BETWEEN WING AND TAIL, VERTICAL TAIL DAMAGED AND WINDSCREEN BROKEN. ALMOST FULL FUEL BUT NO SPILL.THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD SURVEYED THE FIELD AND HIS INTENDED LANDING AREA THE DAY BEFORE. THE FIELD APPEARED TO BE SUITABLE WITH NO IMMEDIATE OBSTRUCTIONS, RUTS OR WASHES IN THE LANDING AREA. THERE WERE NO SPAS FLAGS ON THE PILOT OR AIRCRAFT. HE MADE ALL RECORDS AVAILABLE...WHICH WERE WELL ORGANIZED AND DOCUMENTED. A RECENT AIRFRAME ANNUAL AND ENGINE 100 HR HAD BEEN PERFORMED AND DOCUMENTED. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE AND WELL MAINTAINED. AD APPLICABILITY AND ACCOMPLISHMENT WERE DOCUMENTED AS PART OF THE ANNUAL.THE PILOT WAS VERY FORTHCOMING AND COOPERATIVE.THIS AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH HEEL BRAKES...RATHER THAN THE TYPICAL TOE BRAKES...AND THAT WITH ONLY ~30 HRS OF THE PILOT'S TT (~240 HRS) IN THIS AIRCRAFT...USING HEEL BRAKES DURING A CHALLENGING LANDING COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA12CA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA047), Oct 23, 2011: Piper PA-18-135 (N27295), Dyersburg, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent excessive braking during the landing roll.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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