# Accident 20121102027369A: Cessna 140, Watsonville, CA, November 2, 2012 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 2, 2012, 16:45 local time - Place: Watsonville, CA - Airport: Watsonville Municipal - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.9347° N, 121.7872° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9347&lon=-121.7872&mi=10 - Aircraft: N77227, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N77227-2015-05-14) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 140 (registry code 2071602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 140 - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR C-85-12 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 700 total, 3 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13CA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA033) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121102027369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 20 AT WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KWVI) ON 11/02/2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 1645 HOURS PACIFIC TIME. HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND AS HE DESCENDED IN ALTITUDE HE APPLIED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND SET THE TRIM TAB TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION FOR A GLIDESLOPE SET AT 70-75 MILES PER HOUR (BASED ON APPROXIMATELY 1500 RPM).TURNING ONTO FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 20, THE PILOT LINED UP THE RUNWAY AND REDUCED THROTTLE POWER SETTING TO IDLE AND SETTLED IN FOR A TWO-WHEEL LANDING KEEPING HIS HEELS (BOTH FEET) ON THE FLOOR BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A SMOOTH TWO-WHEEL LANDING ON THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY JUST PAST THE PAINTED NUMBERS. AS THE TWO FRONT WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN THE PILOT MAINTAINED A CENTER FORWARD POSITION ON THE RUNWAY USING ONLY THE RUDDER FOR ALIGNMENT. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS DECREASING IN SPEED, HE GLANCED DOWN AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND AT THE SAME TIME RELAXED ON THE YOKE CONTROL. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT MAINTAIN BACKWARD YOKE PRESSURE. HE THEN LOOKED OUT THE WINDSHIELD AND WITNESSED A PROPELLER STRIKE. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO ROLL OVER (NOSE-TO-TAIL) IN SLOW MOTION FASHION ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT SLIDE ON THE PAVEMENT, BUT RATHER "PLOPPED" ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REITERATED THAT HIS HEELS WERE FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE FLOOR; HE STATED HE DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES AT ANY TIME DURING THE LANDING MANEUVER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE WEATHER, THE PILOT STATED THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. MOREOVER, THERE WAS NO WIND PRESENT AT TIME OF THE LANDING, AND THERE WAS NO CROSSWIND OR WIND IN ANY DIRECTION. ON FINAL APPROACH HE CHECKED THE WINDSOCK, IT WAS LIMP. THE PILOT STATED HE HASN'T FLOWN A TAIL DRAGGER SINCE 1971, AND THEREAFTER HAS PRIMARILY FLOWN NOSE WHEEL AIRCRAFT. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE RECEIVED TRANSITION TRAINING WITH A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO OBTAIN A TAIL WHEEL ENDORSEMENT IN THE SAME CESSNA 140 (TAIL NUMBER: N77227). THE PILOT COMPLETED 17 LANDINGS IN THE SUBJECT AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATIONS. HE STATED "THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY!" THE AIRPLANE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS SIGNED OFF ON 11/01/2012. ## 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 WPR13CA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA033), Nov 2, 2012: Cessna 140 (N77227), Watsonville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll. ## Other reports on N77227 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19841210065589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841210065589A), Dec 10, 1984: Cessna 140 (N77227), Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. Applied power after simulated engine failure and engine quit. Landed in tree tops. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.