Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's use of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During landing roll, following completion of an aerial application flight, the aircraft entered a soft area on the sod/gravel strip and nosed over. According to the pilot, there had been rain earlier and the strip had developed a soft area not readily discernable.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 6, 1995, at 0830 central daylight time, a WSK PZL Mielec M-18A Dromader, N8025Y, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during landing roll at Gerome, Arkansas. The pilot was not injured on this local area CFR Part 137 flight and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, while on landing roll at the single runway, company airstrip, he encountered a soft area towards the end of the sod/gravel runway. He could not keep the tail wheel down and the aircraft nosed over. He said that there had been a considerable amount of precipitation earlier and that the runway had apparently developed a soft area which was not readily discernable. -