On September 12, 2004, an Aeronca CHAMPION 7GCBC (registration N9657S) was involved in an aviation accident near Mullen, NE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout due to a crosswind gust, which resulted in the aircraft nosing over. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A tailwheel airplane sustained substantial damage when a gust of wind during rollout pushed the tail, causing the aircraft to nose over onto its back.
What happened
The accident occurred following the landing phase of flight. According to the pilot's report, a gust of wind caught the tail of the tailwheel aircraft while it was rolling out on the runway. The pilot noted that the wind was coming from the south-southeast at speeds between 5 and 8 knots, with gusts reaching 10 to 12 knots.
During the rollout, the gust pushed the tail of the aircraft to the left. In response, the pilot applied left rudder and ultimately engaged the left brake in an attempt to maintain directional control. Despite these corrective actions, the aircraft nosed over onto its back. The event resulted in substantial damage to the airframe.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the crosswind gust encountered during landing rollout. The pilot's inability to maintain directional control due to the sudden lateral force on the tailwheel configuration led to the nose-over incident.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout due to a crosswind gust, which resulted in the aircraft nosing over.