Event GAA19CA240

Factual narrative

The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the airplane's, "current annual had not been completed, however several repairs were made in anticipation of completing the Annual inspection, including the installation of new main landing gear brake linings, "which are part of the wheel and not part of the shoe." Additionally, he reported that the airplane was equipped with heel brakes, and that it had been 13 years since he had flown a tailwheel-equipped airplane with heel brakes. The pilot decided to perform a high-speed taxi after the repairs were made, "to verify controls and instrumentation," but the airplane became airborne and he decided that the safest action was to fly one pattern and land. He reported that during the landing roll, the airplane's ground speed decreased to about 3 knots and the brakes locked up, and the airplane nosed over. A witness reported that the pilot made the repairs to the brakes. The airplane took off, completed one pattern and landed. During the landing roll the airplane nosed over. After the accident, the pilot told the witness that, he applied the brakes and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he decided to perform a high-speed taxi after repairs had been made to the tailwheel-equipped airplane "to verify controls and instrumentation," but the airplane became airborne, and he decided that the safest action was to fly one pattern and land. He reported that, during the landing roll, the ground speed decreased to about 3 knots, the brakes locked up, and the airplane then nosed over. The pilot added that the airplane was equipped with heel brakes and that it had been 13 years since he had flown a tailwheel-equipped airplane with heel brakes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 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 Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Brake-Incorrect use/operation - C