Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing, which resulted in a nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a wheel landing, the airplane touched down on both main landing gear as he intended, and he applied some forward pressure on the flight stick to keep the weight off the tail. The pilot employed “adequate” brake pressure as he reduced power normally and the airplane started to slow. He then applied light brake pressure between the pedals to keep the airplane on the runway centerline before the tail touched down, but the airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The left wing and wing strut were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.