- Date
- August 14, 1994, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hettinger, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2501KLuscombe 8E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940814021489A
- Case key
- 9642
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 improper use of the wheel brakes.
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 pilot reported a normal touchdown and landing roll. He said he began using brakes about two thirds of the way down the runway and the airplane nosed over. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot stated that he probably applied the brakes too hard, or they hung up. An operational check of the wheel braking system revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On August 14, 1994, at 1000 central daylight time, a Luscombe 8E airplane, N2501K, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll at the Fordahl Airport, near Hettinger, North Dakota. The private pilot reported no injuries. The personal flight originated about 0950 and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed for the local flight.
The private pilot reported that he conducted a normal touchdown and landing roll. He said he began using brakes about two thirds of the way down the runway and the airplane nosed over. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot stated that he probably applied the brakes too hard, or they hung up.
The FAA Inspector examined the airplane and reported substantial damage to the vertical fin, aft fuselage, and right lift strut. No evidence of preexisting airframe or engine malfunction was noted. An operational check of the wheel braking system revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2501K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5228
- Airframe hours
- 889
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Keith D. Fordahl
- Registered owner
- Fordahl, Albert H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Provisional (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 1994 · 1 hours before
- Airport
- INDI · Fordahl Airport, runway 31, 1,800 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 209 total · 21 in this make and model · 209 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Observed at
- DIK, 40 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.