- Date
- January 21, 2013, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tucson, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N223PECessna 140
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130121000759A
- Case key
- 86053
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 directional control during the landing roll and his excessive application of brakes, which resulted in a noseover.
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 stated that he was returning to the departure airport and completed a normal traffic pattern for the active runway. After touchdown, he attempted to hasten the landing roll and exit off the runway at the first turnoff to accommodate the airplane that was landing after him. The tailwheel and rudder began to shimmy and, in response, the pilot manipulated the control wheel forward. He then applied brake pressure in an attempt to make the exit, and the airplane lurched forward, coming to rest inverted on the runway. The wings, fuselage, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He additionally reported that he thought the accident may have been prevented if he increased his yearly flying time and flew with an instructor more frequently.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was returning to the departure airport and completed a normal traffic pattern for the active runway. After touchdown, he attempted to hasten the landing roll and exit off the runway at the first turnoff to accommodate the airplane that was landing after him. The tail wheel and rudder began to shimmy and in response he manipulated the control wheel forward. He then applied brake pressure in an attempt to make the exit and the airplane lurched forward, coming to rest inverted on the runway. The wings, fuselage, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He additionally reported that he thought the accident may have been prevented if he increased his yearly flying time and flew with an instructor more frequently.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N223PE
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9336
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- RYN · Tucson, AZ
- Destination
- RYN · Tucson, AZ
- Airport
- RYN · Ryan Field, runway 33, 4,000 × 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
- 84
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 2,768 total · 207 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- RYN
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 7, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 366 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.