On July 22, 1994, a Champion 7-GCBC (registration N5105X) was involved in an aviation accident near Hartford, AL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's premature application of wheel brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over and wing spar fracture. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot conducting wheel landings in a tailwheel-equipped aircraft applied brakes too early during the rollout, causing a nose-over that fractured the wing spar.
What happened
The pilot was operating a tailwheel-equipped airplane and performing wheel landings. During the landing roll, the pilot applied the wheel brakes prematurely. This action caused the aircraft to nose over, resulting in structural damage that included fracturing the wing spar.
The investigation
In reviewing the incident, the pilot noted that his recent experience with wheel landings had been in a different aircraft that featured less effective braking systems. The difference in brake performance between the two aircraft likely contributed to the timing error during this specific landing.
Probable cause
The pilot's premature application of wheel brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over and wing spar fracture.
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