On September 24, 2003, a Luscombe 8F (registration N9913C) was involved in an aviation accident near Bremerton, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Aircraft control was not maintained during the landing roll which resulted in the aircraft nosing over. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing roll, the pilot relaxed back pressure, causing the tail to rise. After applying left rudder, the aircraft veered left. Braking application led to the nose dropping and the aircraft nosing over. No mechanical issues were found.
Incident Overview
During the landing roll, the pilot reported that he relaxed back pressure on the control stick. This action allowed the tail of the aircraft to rise. As the tail rose, the pilot applied left rudder input. The aircraft subsequently veered to the left. To avoid departing the side of the runway, the pilot applied braking action. The nose then dropped, and the aircraft nosed over.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection of the wheels and brake system revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated his belief that relaxing back pressure on the control stick permitted the tail to rise, initiating the sequence of events that led to the nose-over.