- Date
- November 24, 2015, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Morgan, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N842MCMelvin K Callen Backcountry Supercub
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Denver FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20151124018749A
- Case key
- 92371
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 excessive braking during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over.
Findings · 3
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 during final approach he observed "prairie dog holes" on the private grass runway. The touchdown was "normal," but during the rollout the pilot observed additional prairie dog holes ahead and applied the brakes. Subsequently, the airplane skidded for about 50 feet on the "soft and sandy" area of the runway and nosed over. The vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damaged. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during final approach he observed "prairie dog holes" on the private grass runway. The touchdown was "normal," but during the rollout the pilot observed additional prairie dog holes ahead and applied the brakes. Subsequently, the airplane skidded for about 50 feet on the "soft and sandy" area of the runway and nosed over. The vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damaged. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N842MC
- Reported as
- Melvin K Callen Backcountry Supercub
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- TCQ1207085
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 69.8
- Engine
- Aero Sport Power O-375-C4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · September 27, 2015
- Departed
- 2CO3 · Milliken, CO
- Destination
- None · Fort Morgan, CO
- Airport
- runway 09, 1,000 × 50 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 11, 2014
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 2,109 total · 42 in this make and model · 2,078 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- KGXY, 20 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 3, 2016, 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.