Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-18A near West Palm Beach, FL — 2012-04-12

Final reportERA12CA278
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Date
2012-04-12
Location
West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Airport
F45
Aircraft
PIPER PA-18A
Registration
N12003
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The inadequate assembly of the brakes, which caused them to lock during the landing roll when the airplane transitioned from asphalt to turf, resulting in the airplane nosing over.

NTSB narrative

**This brief was modified on November 1, 2013. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot stated that when he returned to the airport after a local flight, he elected to land on the turf runway, which intersected an asphalt runway. He said he touched down on the main landing gear "fairly long" on the first portion of the turf runway at a speed of about 60 mph. The pilot delayed lowering the tailwheel until the airplane was crossing the asphalt surface and then lowered the tailwheel firmly to the ground. The airplane began to veer left, and the pilot applied full right rudder and a "slight amount" of right brake to regain directional control. When the airplane transitioned from the asphalt surface to the turf runway, it abruptly nosed over. The airplane came to rest inverted, incurring substantial damage to the rudder. An examination of the runway's asphalt to turf transition section revealed that the airplane's main landing gear tires dug into the turf as it left the slightly higher asphalt. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the landing and rollout. While the airplane was being repaired after the accident, a mechanic determined that the bolts holding the main wheel halves in position were excessively long, causing the wheel halves to separate and the brake discs to change position when the airplane transitioned from the asphalt to the turf runway. This condition likely caused the brake discs to jam in their housing and the wheels to stop rotating.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Choosing to land on the grass turf runway instead of the asphalt runway.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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