On October 22, 2002, a Cessna 185 (registration N7321H) was involved in an aviation accident near Waterville, ME. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's excessive braking during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over. A factor was the quartering tailwind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported that after landing, a gust of wind caught the tail of the airplane from the left. Applying brakes, the airplane nosed over. Winds were from 130 degrees left at 6 knots gusting 15 knots three minutes after the accident.
Accident Details
A pilot reported that after landing, a gust of wind caught the tail of the airplane from the left. The pilot applied the brakes, and the airplane nosed over.
Wind Conditions
The pilot stated he was operating in the traffic pattern with other airplanes, based on ASOS information indicating winds from about 70 degrees to the left at 7 to 10 miles per hour. Winds recorded three minutes after the accident were from 130 degrees to the left at 6 knots, gusting to 15 knots.
Damage
The airplane sustained damage as a result of the nose-over.