Primary finding
Probable cause
The passenger’s inadvertent application of brakes during landing which resulted in a nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane with a moderate headwind. During touchdown, the airplane “skipped” over the runway surface, and turned to the left side of the runway. The passenger inadvertently applied brakes and the airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The vertical stabilizer and wing struts sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.