# NTSB ERA20CA279: Dakota S18-160, N811RD, Modena, NY, August 7, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 7, 2020, 14:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Modena, NY - Coordinates: 41.657222, -74.077224 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6572&lon=-74.0772&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: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101757 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA279 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101757/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101757 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA279 ## Probable cause The passenger's inadvertent application of the rear brakes during landing, which resulted in a nose-over. ## 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 · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Daniels Ronald C S18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05637MG), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: brake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unintentional use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Daniels Ronald C S18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md?model=05637MG), [All aircraft, 297 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Daniels Ronald C S18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05637MG), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Daniels Ronald C S18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05637MG), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was landing after a local flight with a passenger seated in the rear seat of the tail-wheel equipped airplane. During touchdown the airplane started to nose over, and the pilot realized that the passenger had his feet on the brakes. He yelled at the passenger to get his feet off the brakes, but it was too late to prevent the airplane from nosing over. The airplane flipped over inverted and came to a complete stop. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the vertical stabilizer was buckled. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he was landing after a local flight with a passenger seated in the rear seat of the tail-wheel equipped airplane. During touchdown the airplane started to nose over, and the pilot realized that the passenger had his feet on the brakes. He yelled at the passenger to get his feet off the brakes, but it was too late to prevent the airplane from nosing over. The airplane flipped over inverted and came to a complete stop. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the vertical stabilizer was buckled. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N811RD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N811RD), registered now, S/N 2018-001, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DAKOTA S18-160 - Registry model: [Daniels Ronald C S18-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/daniels-ronald-c-s18-160) (registry code 05637MG) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming YO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-yo-360-series) (registry code 42422, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2018-001 - Year built: 2019 - Airframe hours: 110 - Engines: Lycoming YO 360 EXP-91 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, August 1, 2020 - Departed: 2NK9, Modena, NY - Destination: 2NK9, Modena, NY - Airport: 2NK9, Old Orchard Airpark, runway 36, 2,800 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 82; injuries: minor; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 16, 2019; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 16,000 total, 32 in this make and model, 14,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: POU, 9 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200807013899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200807013899A), Aug 7, 2020: Daniels Ronald C S18-160, Modena, NY, Substantial damage. 8/7/20: N811RD was on landing rollout at 2NK9. During lading approach and touchdown the rear passenger had rested his feet on the heel brakes and inadvertently… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101757. 6.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10066485&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_1%20Form%20CA279_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10067401&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20pilot%20summary%20%20N811RD-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's correspondence (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10067674&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20FAA%20correspondence%20%20N811RD-Rel.pdf - Passenger statement (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10068248&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20Accident%2008072020_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10068480&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20array%20CA279-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. --- 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.