On April 10, 1983, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 (registration N180GL) was involved in an aviation accident near Shreveport, LA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to apply brakes during rollout to avoid a collision with parked aircraft, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and landing on its back, due to a sudden gust of wind that caused the tailwheel airplane to weathervane toward the parked… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A sudden, strong wind gust caused a tailwheel airplane to weathervane toward parked aircraft during rollout. The pilot applied brakes to avoid a collision, resulting in the aircraft flipping onto its back.
What happened
The pilot reported that the crosswind landing and the initial phase of the rollout proceeded normally. Shortly after the tailwheel settled onto the runway surface, a sudden gust of wind with surprising strength struck the airplane. This force caused the aircraft to weathervane sharply into the wind, directing it toward a line of parked airplanes.
To avoid a collision with the nearby aircraft, the pilot applied the brakes. This action caused the nose to pitch down abruptly, resulting in the airplane overturning and coming to rest on its back.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events immediately following the landing. Examination confirmed that the tailwheel had settled normally prior to the incident. The primary mechanical factor was the application of brakes during the rollout phase, which induced the nose-down attitude leading to the overturning.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to apply brakes during rollout to avoid a collision with parked aircraft, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and landing on its back, due to a sudden gust of wind that caused the tailwheel airplane to weathervane toward the parked aircraft.