No fatalities

27 May 2014: CESSNA 120 NO SERIES — SKYPARK INC — Wadsworth, OH

Wadsworth, OH, United States

On 27 May 2014, a CESSNA 120 NO SERIES operated by SKYPARK INC was involved in an aviation accident near Wadsworth, OH. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing which resulted in a runway excursion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 16 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During tail wheel landing practice, a student applied brakes on rollout, causing the airplane to skid off the runway and overturn. The airplane sustained substantial damage.

Accident Description

An instructor pilot reported that a student with approximately 30 hours of prior flight time in the accident airplane was practicing tail wheel landings. During the third landing, the student touched down normally. As the rollout progressed, the instructor advised the student to lower the tail to eliminate tail rudder effectiveness. In response, the student applied the brakes, causing the airplane to skid off the right side of the runway. The airplane then overturned and came to rest inverted approximately 4 feet from the runway edge.

Post-Accident Examination

A post-accident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and vertical stabilizer.

Instructor's Statement

In the instructor's written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, he noted that the accident might have been prevented if he had taught braking effectiveness to lift the tail during high speed taxiing instead of during landings.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedStudent/instructed pilot

Other contributing factors

Incorrect use/operation