- Date
- September 27, 2008, 11:55 local (18:55 UTC)
- Place
- Spokane, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3115CSport Flight International Astra
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080927846509A
- Case key
- 69011
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 use of brakes and failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
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 the landing roll and after applying brakes, he encountered a left/right oscillation that increased in intensity as he tried to correct with nose wheel steering. The pilot further reported that before he could get the airplane stopped it tipped over, impacting the runway surface with its nose cone and left wing. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector that the day before the accident he had replaced the two rear wheel brake pads with new ones and was warned not to apply the new brakes too heavily, or a loss of control might occur. The pilot revealed to the inspector that he applied more brakes than he should have during the landing roll. The pilot reported 19 hours flight time in make and model.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll and after applying brakes, he encountered a left/right oscillation that increased in intensity as he tried to correct with nose wheel steering. The pilot further reported that before he could get the airplane stopped it tipped over, impacting the runway surface with its nose cone and left wing. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector that the day before the accident he had replaced the two rear wheel brake pads with new ones and was warned not to apply the new brakes too heavily, or a loss of control might occur. The pilot revealed to the inspector that he applied more brakes than he should have during the landing roll. The pilot reported 19 hours flight time in make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3115C
- Reported as
- Sport Flight International Astra (S-2)
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- S06000109R
- Airframe hours
- 73
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George L Balazs
- Registered owner
- George L Balazs
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 16, 2008 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- SFF · Spokane, WA
- Destination
- SFF · Spokane, WA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- SFF · Felts Field, runway 21L, 3,059 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 25, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,003 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- SFF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.