On April 11, 1987, a Cessna 172 (registration N118FP) was involved in an aviation accident near Brewster, KS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing on a sod surface, which resulted in the aircraft veering off the runway and sustaining damage from the soft terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Piper PA-28R-201, N98SW, veered left during landing on a sod strip. The nose gear collapsed as it sank into soft ground, flipping the aircraft inverted. The pilot was not injured.
What happened
The pilot reported that the aircraft began to veer to the left while attempting to land on a sod runway. As the plane moved off the side of the strip, the landing gear started sinking into the soft ground. This caused the aircraft to slow down rapidly. Once the speed decreased significantly, the nose wheel collapsed and folded backward. This mechanical failure caused the airplane to flip over onto its back.
The pilot stated that once the aircraft left the paved surface and entered the soft ground on the side of the runway, he was unable to steer it back toward the center of the strip. The loss of control was immediate due to the terrain conditions.
Findings
N98SW (Piper PA-28R-201) landed off the side of a sod runway.
Landing gear sank into soft ground, causing rapid deceleration.
Nose wheel collapsed rearward, resulting in an inverted position.
Pilot reported inability to correct direction after leaving the runway surface.
No injuries were reported for the pilot.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing on a sod surface, which resulted in the aircraft veering off the runway and sustaining damage from the soft terrain.
What happened in the 11 Apr 1987 Cessna 172 accident near Brewster, KS?
A Piper PA-28R-201, N98SW, veered left during landing on a sod strip. The nose gear collapsed as it sank into soft ground, flipping the aircraft inverted. The pilot was not injured.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 11 Apr 1987 involved a Cessna 172, registration N118FP, at Brewster, KS.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing on a sod surface, which resulted in the aircraft veering off the runway and sustaining damage from the soft terrain.
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