- Date
- October 9, 2010, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Valley, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2971MPiper PA-12
- 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
- Spokane FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101009047259A
- Case key
- 77530
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 during the landing roll after overshooting the intended touchdown point, resulting in a nose over.
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 he elected to land in a recently mowed field at his parent's farm. He overflew some nearby ponds to verify wind conditions, which appeared to be calm. He then decided to land to the north since the field sloped uphill in that direction. During the landing sequence, the pilot stated that he touched down long and then applied the brakes with such force that the airplane nosed over onto its back, substantially damaging both the fuselage and the left wing. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noted that there was an intermittent wind blowing from the south. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he elected to land in a recently mowed 1,200 foot long field at his parent's farm. He stated that he overflew some nearby ponds to check for wind, of which there appeared to be none. He then decided to land to the north since the field sloped uphill in that direction. During the landing sequence, the pilot stated that he touched down long, and then applied the brakes with such force that the airplane nosed over onto its back, substantially damaging both the fuselage and the left wing. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noted that there was an intermittent wind blowing from the south. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2971M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 121363
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Thane Weythman
- Registered owner
- Kinkade Robert L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 07S · Oroville, WA
- Destination
- Valley, 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
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 48 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 330 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.