# NTSB CEN19LA013: Sorrell Sorrell SNS 7, N8053Q, Middletown, OH, October 24, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 24, 2018, 10:15 local (14:15 UTC) - Place: Middletown, OH - Coordinates: 39.531944, -84.396385 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5319&lon=-84.3964&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration; Cincinnati FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 98543 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98543/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98543 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA013 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing rollout for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Elliott Owen D SORRELL SNS-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05655Y2), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Elliott Owen D SORRELL SNS-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05655Y2), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Elliott Owen D SORRELL SNS-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05655Y2), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Elliott Owen D SORRELL SNS-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05655Y2), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was receiving instruction in the experimental, tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight instructor indicated they flew in the traffic pattern and then landed "normally." The pilot stated that, during the landing rollout, he applied the wheel brakes and the left brake "locked up." He attempted to keep the airplane straight, but it kept veering left. The flight instructor was unable to regain directional control after using corrective rudder control input; the airplane was not equipped with landing gear brakes at the flight instructor's seat position. The right main landing gear broke off when it hit a small hole, and the right wing struck the ground. A postaccident examination of the airplane was not performed; thus, it could not be determined whether there was a mechanical malfunction of the brake system. ## Factual narrative On October 24, 2018, at 1015 eastern daylight time, an experimental Sorrell SNS-7, N8053Q, veered off runway 26 at Middletown Regional Airport (MWO), Middletown, Ohio, and impacted terrain during landing rollout. The private pilot and a flight instructor were uninjured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight originated from MWO at 1000. The pilot, who was the airplane owner and performed maintenance on the airplane, stated the during landing rollout of the tailwheel equipped airplane on runway 26 (3,040 feet x 297 feet, turf), he applied the wheel brakes and the left brake "locked up." He attempted to keep the airplane going straight but the airplane kept going left. The right main landing gear hit a hole breaking off the right main landing gear. The airplane came to a sudden stop and the right wing struck the ground. The propeller struck the ground, and the engine kept running. The flight instructor stated they made a brief flight in the traffic pattern and then landed "normally." During landing rollout, the airplane traveled straight for most of the deceleration. The pilot applied brakes to further slow the airplane, and the airplane began a turn to the left. The instructor attempted corrective input using right rudder, but it was insufficient to correct the rollout path. The flight instructor could not correct using brakes because his rudder pedals were not equipped with brakes. Just prior to stopping, the right main landing gear wheel encountered a small hole, which caused the right main gear to fail. The National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-Charge requested that the Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Cincinnati Flight Standards District Office perform a post-accident examination of the airplane, but an examination was not performed to determine if there was a mechanical malfunction with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8053Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8053Q), registered now, S/N 239 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Sorrell SORRELL SNS 7 (No Series) - Registry model: [Elliott Owen D SORRELL SNS-7](https://openairdocs.org/model/elliott-owen-d-sorrell-sns-7) (registry code 05655Y2) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 239 - Airframe hours: 47.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: MWO, Middletown, OH - Destination: MWO, Middletown, OH - Airport: MWO, Middletown Regional Airport, runway 26, 3,040 × 297 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review June 20, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,000 total, 60 in this make and model, 800 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days - Flight instructor; age 44; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 16, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 14,500 total, 25 in this make and model, 12,500 as pilot in command, 183 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.42 inHg - Observed at: MWO ## 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 20181024020799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181024020799A), Oct 24, 2018: Elliott Owen D SORRELL SNS-7, Middletown, OH, Substantial damage. On Wednesday, October 24, 2018, at approximately 1015 EDT, a sorrell SNS-7 aircraft, registration n-number N8053Q lost directional control during the roll-out… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 16, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98543. 4.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482510&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Flight Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482511&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Flight%20Instructor-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.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.