# NTSB ERA11CA034: Boeing A75, N63538, Douglas, GA, October 20, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 20, 2010, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Douglas, GA - Coordinates: 31.476667, -82.860557 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.4767&lon=-82.8606&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: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77653 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA034 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77653/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77653 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA034 ## Probable cause A nose-over due to excessive brake application. ## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing A75N1(PT17), 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=1380134), [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: [Boeing A75N1(PT17), 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=1380134), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was conducting a series of scheduled flights for World War II veterans and their families in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight departed, remained within 7 nautical miles of the departure airport, and returned for landing on runway 22. The pilot reported that the wind was from 230 degrees and was light and variable, but a surface observation weather report taken from the accident airport about 5 minutes before the accident indicated the wind was from 280 degrees at 7 knots. Upon touchdown, the airplane began a rapid and abnormal deceleration, which the pilot was unable to prevent. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. The pilot stated that he believed the front seat passenger put her feet on the rudder pedals in order to brace for landing and inadvertently operated the brakes. The passenger stated that she remembered keeping her feet flat on the floor. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the brakes did not show any signs of leaks and that they were functioning normally after several tests. The pilot stated that prior to the nose-over he did not experience any malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he was conducting a series of scheduled flights for World War II veterans and their families that day in the tail-wheel airplane equipped with Redline disk brakes. The flight departed and remained within 7 nautical miles of the departure airport and returned for landing on runway 22. The pilot reported the wind was from 230 degrees and was light and variable, but a surface observation weather report taken from the accident airport about 5 minutes before the accident indicated the wind was from 280 degrees at 7 knots. Upon touchdown on runway 22, the airplane began a rapid and abnormal deceleration, which he was unable to prevent. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. The pilot stated that he believed the front seat passenger put her feet on the rudder pedals in order to brace for landing and "…inadvertently [operated] the brakes". The passenger stated that she remembers "… keeping my feet flat on the floor…." The nose-over caused substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the rudder. Post-accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the brakes did not show any signs of leaks and they were functioning normally after several tests of the brakes were completed. The pilot stated that prior to the nose over, "the aircraft was operating normally in all aspects." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N63538](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N63538), registered now, S/N 751864 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING A75 (N1) - Registry model: [Boeing A75N1(PT17)](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-a75n1-pt17) (registry code 1380134) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental W670 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (registry code 17018, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 751864 - Airframe hours: 8321 - Engines: Continental W670 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Vintage Flights, LLC - Registered owner: Brian C Wolf, Executor - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2009 - Departed: DQH, Douglas, GA - Destination: DQH, Douglas, GA - Airport: DQH, Douglas Municipal Airport, runway 22, 6,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 29, 2010; seat: rear; flight hours: 6,000 total, 110 in this make and model, 66 in the last 90 days, 44 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: DQH ## 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 20101020051789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101020051789A), Oct 20, 2010: Boeing A75N1(PT17), Douglas, GA, Substantial damage. Pilot stated that aircraft nosed over immediatly after a normal touchdown on runway 22. There was no post impact fire. Wind was at 230 degrees moving 8 knots.… ## Other investigations on N63538 (1) 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. - [NTSB ATL98LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA057), Mar 15, 1998: Boeing A75N1 (N63538), Chamblee, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and excessive application of braking action, which resulted in an on-ground loss-of-control and a nose over. Related factors were: the pilot's… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 22, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77653. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 291 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339824&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Annual Inspection (item 2, .PDF, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339825&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Annual%20Inspection-Redacted.PDF - Phone Conversation with FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339197&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Phone%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Initial Pilot Statement (item 4, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339826&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Initial%20Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Passenger statement (item 5, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339827&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20statement-Redacted.PDF - Weather Report (item 6, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339614&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF - Phone Conversation with Aircraft Mechanic (item 7, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339623&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Phone%20Conversation%20with%20Aircraft%20Mechanic-Master.PDF - Photo 1; Digital Picture Provided by FAA. View Showing the Inverted Airplane. (item 8, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339624&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201;%20Digital%20Picture%20Provided%20by%20FAA.%20View%20Showing%20the%20Inverted%20Airplane.-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Digital Picture Provided by FAA. Another View of the Inverted Airplane (item 9, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339625&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Digital%20Picture%20Provided%20by%20FAA.%20Another%20View%20of%20the%20Inverted%20Airplane-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.