Dual Instructional Flight Ends with Nose-Over Due to Excessive Braking (N3334D)

What happened

The aircraft experienced a nose-over incident while on final approach for landing during a dual instructional flight. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student pilot had previously applied excessive brake pressure during an earlier landing attempt, nearly causing the aircraft to nose over at that time. During the subsequent landing phase, the student again utilized excessive braking force, resulting in the aircraft tipping forward onto its nose.

Prior to the second landing, the CFI had explicitly warned the student regarding the dangers of excessive braking during a pre-flight briefing. The instructor possessed only five hours of total time in this specific aircraft type at the time of the incident.

The investigation

The primary mechanical finding was structural damage resulting from the nose-over impact. No other mechanical failures were cited as contributing factors. The investigation focused on pilot technique and adherence to instructional guidance.

Findings

• Excessive braking by the student pilot during the landing roll.
• Failure to heed pre-flight warnings regarding brake application limits.
• Limited instructor experience in this specific aircraft model (5 hours).