What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot took the tail wheel plane for a recreational flight on an ideal day. When he returned to his home grass runway for a full stop, he said it felt as though the right wheel locked up. The nose rapidly went over, and the plane somersaulted onto its back. Witness marks on the grass corroborated that the right wheel was locked. The weather was no factor, and there were no mechanical discrepancies otherwise. With FAA inspector present, the wheels and brakes were function checked and no discrepancies were noted. No abnormalities with flight controls, steering, or brakes were noted.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT TOOK THE TAIL WHEEL PLANE FOR A RECREATIONAL FLIGHT ON AN IDEAL DAY. WHEN HE RETURNED TO HIS HOME GRASS RUNWAY FOR A FULL STOP, HE SAID IT FELT AS THOUGH THE RIGHT WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE NOSE RAPIDLY WENT OVER, AND THE PLANE SOMERSAULTED ONTO ITS BACK. WITNESS MARKS ON THE GRASS CORROBORATED THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS LOCKED. THE WEATHER WAS NO FACTOR, AND THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES OTHERWISE. WITH FAA INSPECTOR PRESENT, THE WHEELS AND BRAKES WERE FUNCTION CHECKED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. NO ABNORMALITIES WITH FLIGHT CONTROLS, STEERING, OR BRAKES WERE NOTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.