Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadvertent excessive application of brakes, which resulted in a nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that he entered the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern and subsequently completed a normal approach to the runway. During the touchdown the airplane landed hard and bounced twice. After the second bounce, the pilot inadvertently applied brakes, and the airplane immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder and wing struts. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.