What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 25, 2026, at approximately 1300 local time, the pilot of a tailwheel Aeronca Champion aircraft was conducting a landing on the grass area adjacent to runway 18 at Highgate Vermont airport - fso. During the landing rollout, the pilot applied excessive braking, resulting in the aircraft pitching forward and overturning onto its back. Wheel marks observed in the grass indicate dragging and brake lock-up consistent with abrupt brake application.
Weather conditions at the time of the accident were reported as VFR, with a crosswind component of approximately 5–7 knots.
The aircraft sustained the following damage:
Bent propeller
Twisted/bent wing struts
Wing spar damage associated with wing distortion
Rudder damage
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 25, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT OF A TAILWHEEL AERONCA CHAMPION AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A LANDING ON THE GRASS AREA ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 18 AT HIGHGATE VERMONT AIRPORT - FSO. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE PILOT APPLIED EXCESSIVE BRAKING, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT PITCHING FORWARD AND OVERTURNING ONTO ITS BACK. WHEEL MARKS OBSERVED IN THE GRASS INDICATE DRAGGING AND BRAKE LOCK-UP CONSISTENT WITH ABRUPT BRAKE APPLICATION.
WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS VFR, WITH A CROSSWIND COMPONENT OF APPROXIMATELY 5–7 KNOTS.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE:
BENT PROPELLER
TWISTED/BENT WING STRUTS
WING SPAR DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH WING DISTORTION
RUDDER DAMAGE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.