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ERA11CA281

2011-05-03 · Apex, North Carolina, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport NC11

Current FAA registration · N1902K

Make / Model
LUSCOMBE 8E
Year of manufacture
1947 · 64 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR C85 SERIES (85 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19570122
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A16AD3

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s excessive application of the brakes, which caused the airplane to nose over.

Factual narrative

The private pilot stated that he was conducting a full stop landing. He executed a normal landing, lowered the tail and was rolling fast. The airplane was on the center line with 300 to 400 feet of runway remaining. He stated that he applied the brakes aggressively, which lifted the tail, and caused the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft then flipped over and came to rest inverted substantially damaging the vertical stabilizer and wings. Post accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he was conducting a full-stop landing. He executed a normal landing, lowered the tail and was rolling fast. The airplane was on the center line with 300 to 400 feet of runway remaining. He stated that he applied the brakes aggressively, which lifted the tail and caused the propeller to strike the ground. The airplane then flipped over and came to rest inverted, substantially damaging the vertical stabilizer and wings. A postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Landing gear brakes system-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_ERA11CA281.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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