- Date
- January 3, 2015, 13:51 local (21:51 UTC)
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N171LWaco Classic YMF F5C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20150103005989A
- Case key
- 90560
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 accidental application of the brakes by the passenger during landing roll which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Findings · 1
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 while rolling out about 30 to 40 mph in the tailwheel equipped airplane for the full stop landing, the airplane made a sudden stop and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and tail section during the landing sequence. The passenger reported in a written statement that he accidentally applied the brakes during the landing roll. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while rolling out about 30 to 40 mph in the tailwheel equipped airplane for the full stop landing, the airplane made a sudden stop and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and tail section during the landing sequence. The passenger reported in a written statement that he accidentally applied the brakes during the landing roll. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N171L
- Reported as
- Waco Classic YMF F5C (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F5C-8-134
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 174
- Engine
- Jacobs R-755A2M, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- OXR · Oxnard, CA
- Destination
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Airport
- SBP · San Luis County Rgnl, runway 11, 6,100 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Heads up display, Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS
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
- 82
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 4,084 total · 1,462 in this make and model · 3,730 as pilot in command · 60.7 in the last 90 days · 38.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KSBP
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 13, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.3 MB 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.