- Date
- July 5, 1993, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greenfield, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N81999Ayres Pitts MA-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930705029029A
- Case key
- 28436
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll and subsequent application of excessive braking that resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was landing a tail wheel airplane on a private gravel airstrip. During the landing roll, the pilot applied left rudder to maintain the runway heading. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway. In an attempt to avoid soft terrain, the pilot applied excessive braking and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
On July, 5, 1993, about 1100 hours Pacific daylight time, an Ayers, Pitts MA-1, N81999, crashed during landing at Metz Field, a private airstrip near Greenfield, California. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area flight when the accident occurred. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Metz Field about 1030 hours.
The pilot reported that he landed on the gravel runway to the north, and applied left rudder to maintain the runway heading during the landing roll. When the pilot applied left rudder, the airplane veered to the left and off the left side of the runway. The pilot applied aft elevator pressure and hard braking to avoid soft terrain. The airplane then nosed over.
The pilot holds a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. The most recent second class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on February 8, 1993, and contained no limitations.
According to the pilot/operator report submitted by the pilot, his total aeronautical experience consists of about 909 hours, of which 97 were accrued in the accident aircraft make and model. In the preceding 90 and 30 days prior to the accident, the report lists a total of 52 and 23 hours, respectively, flown.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81999
- Reported as
- Ayres Pitts MA-1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 101-A
- Airframe hours
- 420
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-G4, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George Britcliffe
- Registered owner
- George Britcliffe
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 1993 · 6 hours before
- Airport
- Metz Field, runway 31, 3,400 × 80 ft, gravel
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 909 total · 97 in this make and model · 814 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.