Primary finding
Probable cause
an undetermined braking anomaly and/or failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot stated that the approach and landing were normal, but during the landing roll, the brakes appeared to stick. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway and nosed over in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. During postaccident examination, the airplane rolled freely on its wheels, forward and backward, with no evidence of brake drag. No preimpact mechanical anomaly was found.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 11, 1996, at 1520 eastern daylight time, a Champion 7ECA, N2598G, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over after veering off the runway during the landing roll at Hanover County Airport, in Ashland, Virginia. The commercial pilot and the one passenger reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, no flight plan was filed. The local flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Ashland, Virginia, at approximately 1520. The pilot stated that the landing approach and touchdown were normal, but during the landing roll, the airplane "...began to turn to the right. I applied brakes in an attempt to regain directional control. [The airplane] continued to the right." The airplane departed the right side of the runway and nosed over in the grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot investigators that he did not know what caused the airplane to veer off the runway, but he believed that the brakes stuck during the landing roll. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector stated that during the postaccident examination of the airplane, he "...untied the aircraft and rolled it both forward and backward with very little effort. The airplane rolled freely with no evidence of brake drag." He stated that there was no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomaly. -