- Date
- January 4, 2007, 16:00 local (Jan 5, 2007, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Buckley, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N186ACAmerican Champion 8GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070104000829A
- Case key
- 65118
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 release brake pressure soon enough when his airplane skidded from wet grass onto dry terrain during an off-airport, full-stop landing. A factor was the change in terrain from wet grass to dry ground in the landing area.
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
While landing in an open field covered with wet grass, the airplane's main wheels started to skid when the brakes were applied. When the airplane contacted drier terrain, the increase in braking effectiveness resulted in the tail wheel-equipped airplane nosing over. Although the pilot tried to take remedial action by releasing all brake pressure, he was unable to do so soon enough to keep the airplane from nosing over.
Factual narrative
While landing in an open field covered with wet grass, the aircraft's main wheels started to skid when the brakes were applied. When the aircraft came in contact with drier terrain, the increase in braking effectiveness caused the tail wheel-equipped aircraft to nose over. Although the pilot tried to take remedial action by releasing all brake pressure, he was unable to do so soon enough to keep the aircraft from nosing over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N186AC
- Reported as
- American Champion 8GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 369-94
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1E, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Thaddeus S Narolski
- Registered owner
- Thaddeus S. Narolski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- K1S0 · Puyallup, WA
- Destination
- Buckley, WA
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total · 25 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 36 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N186AC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.