Event GAA18CA311

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was aligned with the right edge of the 80 ft. wide private, grass airstrip during short final. The pilot slipped the airplane to the left, but the right main landing gear contacted the tall wheat field that bordered the runway, and the airplane began to veer right. He added that the airplane continued to the right, and subsequently nosed over. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added in the NTSB Form 6120.1 section titled "Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation" that he should have initiated an immediate go around procedure once he realized the approach was not normal. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was aligned with the right edge of the 80-ft-wide private, grass airstrip during short final. The pilot slipped the airplane to the left, but the right main landing gear contacted the tall wheat field that bordered the runway, and the airplane began to veer right. He added that the airplane continued to the right and subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot indicated that he should have initiated an immediate go-around procedure once he realized the approach was not normal. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Heading/course-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-(general)-Contributed to outcome