On December 30, 2006, a Cessna 140 (registration N9198Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Van Nuys, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the pilot under instruction to maintain directional control of the airplane and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing rollout, a conventional gear airplane lost directional control, veered right off the runway, and nosed over after brakes were applied, causing structural damage to the firewall. The accident was reported two months later during routine FAA maintenance surveillance.
Accident Overview
The accident occurred during the landing rollout of a conventional gear airplane. Directional control was lost, causing the aircraft to move laterally across the runway from left to right.
Sequence of Events
As the airplane veered off the right side of the runway, the certified flight instructor (CFI) applied left rudder input in an attempt to return the aircraft to the runway centerline. Despite this corrective action, the airplane continued off the runway surface and proceeded toward an airport sign. The CFI then applied the brakes. The application of brakes resulted in the airplane nosing over. Both pilots reported that no preimpact mechanical malfunctions had occurred.
Damage and Reporting
The nose-over caused structural damage to the firewall and adjacent structural members. The accident was not reported to authorities until two months later, when an FAA airworthiness inspector discovered it during routine maintenance surveillance at the airport.