- Date
- July 4, 2015, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Comanche, OK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N317MAAviat A-1C-180
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Oklahoma City FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20150704015599A
- Case key
- 91516
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 failure to maintain proper pitch control during touchdown, which resulted in a nose over and impact with terrain.
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
The pilot reported that he was attempting a wheel landing in a tailwheel airplane at his private grass air strip. During the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced once, settled back to the runway, and then suddenly nosed forward and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that he did not know why the airplane nosed over, but suspected the pilot rated passenger in the rear seat may have manipulated the flight controls in some manner. During a postaccident interview, the pilot rated passenger seated in the rear seat stated that he remained clear of the rudder pedals and flight controls for the entire flight. The passenger also reported that he observed the flight controls move abruptly to the full aft position just prior to the nose over. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a post-flight examination, the rudder and right wing were found to be substantially damaged.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was attempting a wheel landing in a tailwheel airplane at his private grass air strip. During the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced once, settled back to the runway, and then suddenly nosed forward and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that he did not know why the airplane nosed over, but suspected the pilot rated passenger in the rear seat may have manipulated the flight controls in some manner. During a postaccident interview, the pilot rated passenger seated in the rear seat stated that he remained clear of the rudder pedals and flight controls for the entire flight. The passenger also reported that he observed the flight controls move abruptly to the full aft position just prior to the nose over. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a post-flight examination, the rudder and right wing were found to be substantially damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N317MA
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1C-180 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3185
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 80
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 18, 2014
- Departed
- None · Comanche, OK
- Destination
- None · Comanche, OK
- Airport
- None · Wildlife Ranch (Pvt.), runway 03, 3,800 × 180 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Recreational
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 21, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 44 in this make and model · 600 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KDUC, 10 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.