Event ANC03LA010

Factual narrative

On November 3, 2002, about 1038 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Luscombe 8A airplane, N1933B, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while landing on a paved, dry runway, at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1030, from the Chena Marina Airport, Fairbanks. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on November 4, the pilot reported that just after touchdown on runway 1R, he was requested by the Fairbanks Air Traffic Control Tower local controller to use, if possible, the first available exit off of the active runway. The pilot said that when he applied the airplane's toe brakes, the wheels stopped turning, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations inspector, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office, inspected the airplane. He reported that there no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the accident airplane. The pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120. 1). The solo commercial pilot was landing a wheel-equipped airplane on a paved, dry runway. The pilot reported that just after touchdown, he was requested by the tower controller to use, if possible, the first available exit off of the active runway. The pilot said that when he applied the airplane's toe brakes, the wheels stopped turning, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12