Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's excessive asymmetrical application of the brakes, which resulted in a nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a soft turf runway that had experienced heavy rainfall the evening before. Upon touchdown, about a third of the way down the runway, the airplane bounced slightly before settling onto the turf; the pilot applied the brakes during the landing roll, the airplane turned left, then immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the wing struts and vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.