- Date
- November 2, 2012, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Watsonville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N77227Cessna 140
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report February 27, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20121102027369A
- Case key
- 85512
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 maintain airplane control during the landing roll.
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 reported that after a normal approach, he landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane on the main wheels (wheel landing). As the airplane decelerated during the landing roll, the pilot directed his attention inside of the cockpit and eased back pressure off of the control yoke. When the pilot redirected his attention outside, the airplane nosed down, and the propeller struck the ground; the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. During the accident sequence, the wings and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after a normal approach he landed the tail-wheel equipped airplane on the main wheels (wheel landing). As the airplane decelerated during the landing roll, the pilot directed his attention inside of the cockpit and eased back pressure off of the control yoke. When the pilot redirected his attention outside, the airplane nosed down and the propeller struck the ground; the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. During the accident sequence, the wings and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77227
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11689
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Russell Ellingworth
- Registered owner
- Russell Ellingworth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2012 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- KIC · King City, CA
- Destination
- WVI · Watsonville, CA
- Airport
- WVI · Watsonville Municipal Airport, runway 20, 4,501 × 149 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
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 2, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 700 total · 3 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- WVI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 621 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 N77227 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.