- Date
- December 24, 2010, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winnsboro, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N76831Cessna 140
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101224053689A
- Case key
- 78062
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 excessive brake inputs by both pilots during the landing roll resulting in the airplane nosing over.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot of the tail-wheel equipped airplane, his pilot-rated passenger performed a normal wheel landing. During the landing roll, the airplane drifted to the right and in response he attempted to correct with left rudder input. The airplane continued to veer and he applied left brake. The application of the left brake made both pilots brace themselves, and they inadvertently depressed both sets of brake pedals at the same time. The brakes locked and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the tail-wheel equipped airplane, his pilot rated passenger performed a normal wheel landing. During the landing roll, the airplane drifted to the right but could not be corrected with left rudder input, so left brake was applied. The application of the left brake made both pilots brace themselves, and they inadvertently depressed both sets of brake pedals at the same time. The brakes locked and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident was from 230 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N76831
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11263
- Airframe hours
- 2,408
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Horton Paul M
- Registered owner
- Horton Paul M
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 10, 2010
- Departed
- FDW · Winnsboro, SC
- Destination
- FDW · Winnsboro, SC
- Airport
- FDW · Fairfield County Airport, runway 22, 5,003 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 20, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,500 total · 68 in this make and model · 92 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- FDW
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.