# NTSB CEN14CA061: Aviat A 1B, N721DL, Cypress, TX, November 15, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 15, 2013, 13:40 local (19:40 UTC) - Place: Cypress, TX - Coordinates: 30.042778, -95.667221 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0428&lon=-95.6672&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 19, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88446 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14CA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88446/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88446 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA061 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing which resulted in an impact with the runway surface. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was making a wheel landing to a smooth dry grass runway in a tail-wheel equipped airplane. Immediately after touchdown the nose began to pitch down and the pilot's corrective inputs were unsuccessful. The propeller contacted the ground, the tail came up, and the airplane flipped and came to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, left strut, left aileron, vertical fin and rudder. The pilot reported that he did not react quickly enough to the downward pitching attitude. ## Factual narrative The pilot was making a wheel landing to a smooth dry grass runway in a tail-wheel equipped airplane. Immediately after touchdown the nose began to pitch down and the pilot's corrective inputs were unsuccessful. The propeller contacted the ground, the tail came up, and the airplane flipped and came to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, left strut, left aileron, vertical fin and rudder. The pilot reported that he did not react quickly enough to the downward pitching attitude. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N721DL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N721DL), registered now, S/N 2254, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC A 1B - Registry model: [Aviat A-1B](https://openairdocs.org/model/aviat-a-1b) (registry code 2210406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2254 - Year built: 2003 - Airframe hours: 266 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 12, 2013 - Departed: T51, Cypress, TX - Destination: T51, Cypress, TX - Airport: T51, Dan Jones Intl, runway 17, 3,440 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2012; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 29,000 total, 121 in this make and model, 23,000 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,600 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KDWH, 6 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20131115021809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131115021809A), Nov 15, 2013: Aviat Aircraft Inc A-1B, Cypress, TX, Substantial damage. At approximately 1340 CST, aircraft landed on turf portion of runway 17 at dan Jones international airport (T51). Upon touch down, pilot states the nose of the… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88446. 474 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 474 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40404967&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.