Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's excessive use of the brakes during the aborted takeoff.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot decided to abort the takeoff immediately after the airplane broke ground due to variable cross wind conditions. During the abort, the pilot applied exessive brakes and the airplane nosed over. The sod strip was 800 feet long.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 18, 1994, at 1330 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 140, N89511, was substantially damaged during takeoff from a private sod strip near Nenana, Alaska. The airplane, owned and operated by the private pilot, was departing on a personal cross country flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. According to the pilot, he was on a round robin flight out of Fairbanks, Alaska, when he landed at the 800 foot by 40 foot sod strip. He said that during the takeoff, he encountered variable cross wind conditions and decided to abort the takeoff right after the airplane broke ground. He stated that he pulled the power and mixture off, set the airplane down, and applied braking. He further said that he applied excessive brakes and the airplane nosed over and slid to a stop on its back. The pilot reported the winds as being variable from a cross wind to a tail wind at 4 to 8 knots. -