FTW96LA052

During the landing roll, the airplane began a slow left turn. The pilot corrected with full right rudder, and when the airplane did not respond, he then applied the right heel brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, encountered newly plowed dirt and nosed over. An aircraft mechanic examined the airplane and reported that when right rudder was applied, the tailwheel did not swivel freely, but required 'a lot of pressure' to break it loose from the centered position. The pilot stated that his inexperience prevented him from realizing the tailwheel steering on the airplane was not working properly. He further stated that he should have used the brakes sooner. The pilot had a total of 17 hours flight time in tailwheel airplanes, all of which were in the accident airplane.

On November 24, 1995, at 1230 central standard time, a Champion 7FC, N9899B, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing near Fredericksburg, Texas. The commercial pilot/operator was not injured and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane departed Comfort, Texas, approximately 1100 for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane began a "slow left turn." He corrected with "full" right rudder pedal and, when the airplane did not respond, then applied the right heel brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, encountered "newly plowed dirt," nosed over and came to rest inverted. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the right wing sustained structural damage and the right lift strut was bent.

An aircraft mechanic examined the airplane and reported that, when the rudder was moved right, the tailwheel did not "swivel freely" to the right. He stated that "a lot of pressure" was required to break the tailwheel loose from its centered position. During a telephone interview conducted by the investigator-in- charge, the pilot stated that his "inexperience" prevented him from realizing the tailwheel steering on the airplane was not working properly. He further stated that he "should have used the brakes sooner." The pilot had a total of 17 hours flight time in tailwheel airplanes, all of which were in the accident airplane.