MIA98LA108

The pilot had flown to the accident airport in formation with 4 other aircraft which had landed uneventfully on runway 23 with a reported tailwind of 4 knots. He did not look at the windsock before landing and after touchdown, during the landing roll with the elevator control stick full aft, he applied the brakes and the airplane nosed over. A weather observation taken from an airport 21 nautical miles away revealed that the wind was from 060 degrees at 10 knots. He further stated that he was complacent and he thought the landing was over.

On March 25, 1998, about 1330 eastern standard time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, N3751F, registered to RHW Ltd., nosed over during the landing roll at the Pierson Municipal Airport, Pierson, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 15 minutes earlier from the Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida.

The pilot stated that after takeoff he was flying formation with 4 other aircraft to Pierson, Florida. When the flight departed, the wind was from the northeast at 4-5 knots, and at the destination airport the wind was from 060 degrees at 4 knots. The other aircraft landed uneventfully on runway 23 and before landing, he did not look at the windsock. After touchdown during the landing roll, he applied the brakes and with the elevator control stick full aft, the airplane nosed over. He further stated that he thought the landing was over and he became complacent.

A weather observation taken at the Daytona Beach Regional Airport, about 37 minutes before and 23 minutes after the accident, revealed that the winds were from 060 degrees at 10 knots and 040 degrees at 10 knots, respectively. The airport is located about 21 nautical miles and 104 degrees magnetic from the accident airstrip.