# NTSB CEN22LA005: Piper PA-18-105 Special, N7117K, Houston, TX, October 5, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 5, 2021, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Houston, TX
- Coordinates: 29.818194, -95.672611 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8182&lon=-95.6726&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: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104050
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA005
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104050/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104050
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA005

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper application of brakes during landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7101808), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/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: [Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101808), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

A flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction departed on a local flight to perform touch-and-go landings. On the fifth landing, the pilot receiving instruction applied brakes to stop the airplane. The flight instructor reported that the pilot applied too much brake pressure; the nose of the airplane was lower than normal. He directed the pilot to release brake pressure, but the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Substantial damage was sustained to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right wing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7117K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7117K), registered now, S/N 18-340 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-105 SPECIAL
- Registry model: [Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-105-special) (registry code 7101808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-340
- Year built: 1950
- Airframe hours: 2810
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Aerohp LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: KDWH, Houston, TX
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: IWS, West Houston, runway 15, 1,200 × 50 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: lap only
- Flight instructor; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; seat: rear; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,663 total, 47.3 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KDWH, 16 nm away
- METAR: METAR KDWH 051553Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP170 T02720172=

## 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 20211005022599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211005022599A), Oct 5, 2021: Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL, Houston, TX, Minor damage. N7117K, dwh-iws, acft departed dwh with intent to land at iws (13MI south). Acft was landing on rwy 15 grass strip at iws and pilot applied brakes and acft…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104050. 1.1 MB in all.

- Pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 224 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12988308&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N7117K%20Accident%20Pilots%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Investigation findings (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12988112&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Findings-Rel.pdf
- Photo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 706 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13244895&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo%201-Rel.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.

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