On June 17, 2006, a Schweizer G-164B (registration N3632T) was involved in an aviation accident near Murtaugh, ID. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's excessive braking combined with the aircraft's high center of gravity, which led to the airplane overturning shortly after touchdown. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural aircraft overturned immediately after touchdown on a short airstrip. The pilot attributed the accident to excessive braking and the high center of gravity of the plane.
What happened
The pilot reported that he touched down in the agricultural airplane approximately one quarter of the way down the airstrip. He stated that everything was normal and in a matter of a split second, the aircraft was upside down. He further stated that he felt applying too much braking and the fact that the airplane has a high center of gravity may have contributed to the accident.
The investigation
No mechanical examination details were provided in the source text.
Findings
The pilot identified two primary factors contributing to the incident:
Excessive application of brakes during the landing roll.
The high center of gravity inherent to the aircraft design.
Probable cause
The pilot's excessive braking combined with the aircraft's high center of gravity, which led to the airplane overturning shortly after touchdown.