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ERA10CA271

2010-05-15 · Kingston, Tennessee, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 12TN

Current FAA registration · N1415E

Make / Model
CHAMPION 7AC
Year of manufacture
1946 · 64 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19590319
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0A973

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in a nose-over.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he had not landed at the destination airport “in several years.” Although the airport had a paved runway, the pilot preferred to land on grass rather than pavement. Since he had landed on the grassy area adjacent to the left side of the runway during his previous visit, he decided to land on it once again. From the air, “it looked good," so he proceeded to land. During the landing, he realized that the grass was not mowed and was "over waist deep." Upon touch down, the main landing gear caught the grass, the airplane nosed over, and the pilot sustained a fractured vertebrae. For grass operations, the airport had been using the mowed area to the right side of the runway. According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he had not landed at the destination airport “in several years.” Although the airport had a paved runway, the pilot preferred to land on grass rather than pavement. Since he had landed on the grassy area adjacent to the left side of the runway during his previous visit, he decided to land on it once again. From the air, “it looked good," so he proceeded to land. During the landing, he realized that the grass was not mowed and was "over waist deep." Upon touch down, the main landing gear caught the grass, the airplane nosed over, and the pilot sustained a fractured vertebrae. For grass operations, the airport had been using the mowed area to the right side of the runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-(general)-Effect on equipment
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Flight planning/navigation-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_ERA10CA271.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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