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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

April 20, 2003 · Aviat A1 · N36LE

Anchorage, AK

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 20, 2003
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 minor injuries)
Location
Anchorage, AK
Aircraft
Aviat A1
Tail Number
N36LE
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ANC03LA046

The student pilot was receiving primary flight instruction in his tailwheel airplane. According to the student and the flight instructor, the instructor was demonstrating a short field landing on a gravel airstrip. The instructor said that shortly after touchdown, he inadvertently applied the brakes too hard and for too long. He said due to excessive application of the brakes, the airplane nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause

The flight instructor's excessive application of the brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.

Full Narrative

On April 19, 2003, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Aviat A1 airplane, N36LE, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while landing at the Goose Bay airstrip, about 13 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska. The certificated flight instructor and the student pilot reported minor injuries. The Title 14, CFR Part 91, local instructional flight departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, about 1700, and operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The operator of the airplane was the student pilot/owner, who was receiving primary flight instruction. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 21, the flight instructor related that while landing on the gravel surface of runway 25 at Goose Bay, he inadvertently applied the wheel brakes too hard and for too long. He said his excessive application of the brakes resulted in the airplane nosing over, and receiving substantial damage to the empennage and wings. The flight instructor said there were no preaccident mechanical difficulties with the airplane. The student pilot telephoned the IIC on April 22, and related essentially the same information as the flight instructor. The student pilot said the flight instructor was the sole manipulator of the flight controls, and that the instructor was demonstrating a short field landing. He said that as soon as the airplane touched down, and before the tailwheel touched the runway, the instructor applied the brakes hard and the airplane nosed over very quickly.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:00 AKDT
Nearest AirportGOOSEBAY (0nm)
Runway25
Runway Length3000 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAviat A1
Tail NumberN36LE
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360C1G · Reciprocating · 180
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 minor injuries)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor2
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 77 · Third Class · Minor
Crew 2Second Class · Minor

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point39 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data