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Atlas / NTSB / SEA03LA108

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event SEA03LA108

2003-06-16 Renton, Washington, United States Airport · RNT None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N64KM

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

MCCARTY KIRK AVID MAGNUM

Year of manufacture

1997 · 6 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19970909

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A863CF

Registrant of record

WHITEHEAD MICHELLE W

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The flight instructor's unexpected encounter with control interference when the student applied brakes during the landing roll.

Factual narrative

On June 16, 2003, at 1905 Pacific daylight time, a homebuilt McCarty Avid Magnum tail wheel equipped aircraft, N64KM, registered to and being flown by a commercially rated flight instructor, and accompanied by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage when the aircraft nosed down on landing roll on runway 33 at the Renton Municipal airport, Renton, Washington. Neither occupant was injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14CFR91, and had originated at the Renton airport approximately 1830. The pilot reported in a telephone interview that upon landing rollout, approximately one-third to one-half down the runway the tail started coming up and he was unable to stop it. The aircraft slid to a stop in a nose down condition and both occupants exited the aircraft. Winds at Renton at 1912 were reported from 310 degrees magnetic at 9 knots and the pilot reported that he experienced no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft during the event. The pilot subsequently reported (refer to attached NTSB Form 6120.1) that he was occupying the right seat and a student was in the left seat when, at two miles out on final he announced to the student "my airplane." The student responded "your airplane." During the landing roll the student applied brakes resulting in the aircraft nosing down. The instructor (right seat), accompanied by a student (left seat) were on final approach in the Avid Magnum tail wheel equipped aircraft when the instructor announced "my airplane." The student responded "your airplane." During the landing roll the student applied brakes and the aircraft nosed down. The pilot reported that he experienced no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft during the event. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2003_SEA03LA108.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.