- Date
- August 19, 2010, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Buena, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1662PPiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100819041499A
- Case key
- 77015
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 brake application, resulting in a nose over.
Findings · 2
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 departed with the intention of performing a practice flight in the local area. After departing he decided to fly to a grass strip and practice landings. During the second landing, while on the landing roll, he applied brakes and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine. The pilot stated that, in hindsight, he felt that the airplane would not have nosed over if he had applied less brake pressure.
Factual narrative
The pilot departed with the intention of performing a practice flight in the local area. After departing to the south and climbing to 2,500 feet, he noted that it was a little bumpy. He decided to fly to a grass strip, and practice landings. It still seemed bumpy at 2,500 feet, but he noticed that the American flag on the strip indicated no wind. He completed one uneventful touch-and-go landing; he touched down on the main landing gear with no bounce. After letting the tail wheel touch down and letting the airplane slow a bit, he applied power and took off. On downwind, the flag indicated a variable wind that was less than 5 knots. The second touchdown was soft with no bounce like the first one, and the airplane tracked straight down the runway. If the pilot detected any difference in the two landings, it was that speed on the second might have been slightly faster than the first one, and the airplane was in a more level attitude. He applied brakes, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine. In hindsight, the pilot felt that the airplane would not have nosed over if he had applied less brake pressure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1662P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3784
- Airframe hours
- 3,173
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard Cole
- Registered owner
- Richard Cole
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 11, 2009 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- YKM · Yakima, WA
- Destination
- Buena, WA
- Airport
- WA97 · Buena, runway 28, 3,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 78
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,383 total · 383 in this make and model · 2,383 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- KYKM
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 389 KB 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.
Other investigations on N1662P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.