- Date
- July 21, 2003, 10:32 local (18:32 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N72860Cessna 140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20030721037309A
- Case key
- 57524
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane and excessive application of the airplane brakes during the landing roll that resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on an asphalt-surfaced runway that was 4,000-feet-long and 100-feet-wide. The pilot reported she landed slightly long, and during the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left. She said she used the rudder and the brakes in an attempt to regain directional control, but the airplane suddenly nosed over. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, in the section, Recommendation (How Could This Accident Been Prevented?), the pilot wrote: "Ensure tailwheel is on the ground when brakes are applied, or do not apply brakes at all."
Factual narrative
On July 21, 2003, at 1032 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Cessna 140 airplane, N72860, sustained substantial damage when the airplane nosed over during landing at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1010.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on July 21, the pilot reported she landed on runway 24 at Merrill Field. The pilot said she landed slightly long, and during the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left. She said she used the rudder and the brakes in an attempt to regain directional control, but the airplane suddenly nosed over. The airplane received damage to the propeller, fuselage, wings, vertical stabilizer and rudder.
Runway 24 is an asphalt-surfaced runway that is 4,000 feet long and 100 feet wide. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, in the section, Recommendation (How Could This Accident Been Prevented?), the pilot wrote: "Ensure tailwheel is on the ground when brakes are applied, or do not apply brakes at all."
At 0953, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at Merrill Field was reporting in part: Wind, calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 4,000 feet scattered, 7,000 feet overcast; temperature, 63 degrees F; dew point, 55 degrees F; altimeter, 29.92 inHg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72860
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10051
- Engine
- Continental C-85, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Linne S. Weinberger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PAMR · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- PAMR · Merrill Field, runway 24
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 423 total · 18 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.