Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ATL04CA102

Cedartown, GA, USA

Aircraft #1

N271T

Piper PA-18

Analysis

According to the pilot, after landing on the grass strip alongside runway 28, he applied the brakes. The tail of the airplane immediately lifted up and the pilot slid forward in the seat. While sliding forward, the pilot inadvertently put more pressure on the brakes as well as forward pressure on the elevator. The pilot reported he applied heavy braking and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed spinner damage, right wing strut bent, rudder bent and a nick in the propeller and damage to the wind screen.

Factual Information

On April 28, 2004 at 1800 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-18, N271T, registered to and operated by Free Spirit Aviation, nosed over after landing at Cornelius-Moore Field, Cedartown, Georgia. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight departed Fulton County Airport - Brown Field, Atlanta, Georgia, at 1730, on April 28, 2004. According to the pilot, after landing on the grass strip alongside runway 28, he applied the brakes. The tail of the airplane immediately lifted up and the pilot slid forward in the seat. While sliding forward, the pilot said he inadvertently put more pressure on the brakes as well as forward pressure on the elevator. The pilot reported he applied heavy braking and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that the propeller spinner was damaged, the right wing strut was bent , the rudder assembly was bent, and the windshield was also damaged.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's improper use of brakes during landing roll which resulted in the airplane nosing over.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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