No fatalities

Tailwheel Airplane Nose Over During Landing

Merritt Island, FL, United States

On September 23, 2015, a CESSNA 195 UNDESIGNAT operated by ERIC H. CAPPEL was involved in an aviation accident near Merritt Island, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's excessive braking during the landing roll, resulting in a nose over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel-equipped airplane nosed over after the pilot applied excessive braking during a wheel landing, resulting in substantial damage.

Accident Details

A tailwheel-equipped airplane experienced a nose-over during landing on an asphalt runway. The pilot reported performing a wheel landing, touching down at 70 miles per hour and allowing the tailwheel to contact the runway at approximately 45 miles per hour.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that upon tailwheel touchdown, the airplane rapidly veered to the left. He attempted to correct the deviation by applying right rudder and brakes. The braking was excessive, resulting in the airplane nosing over.

Photographic Evidence

Photographs provided by the FAA documented the airplane's path. The aircraft veered approximately 30 degrees toward the left edge of the runway. The left tire mark showed a full tread width, dark black rubber skid for over 30 feet. The right tire mark exhibited continuous skidding on its inside edge with intermittent full tread width skids. Approximately 30 feet from where the airplane came to rest inverted, the left skid mark lightened, showing continual tread edge skidding and intermittent full tread width skids. At that point, the airplane had turned to the right, paralleling the runway edge. No tailwheel marks were visible in the photographs.

Damage

The airplane came to rest inverted about 75 feet short of the B4 intersection. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.

Contributing factors

PilotIncorrect use/operation

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 23 Sept 2015 CESSNA 195 UNDESIGNAT accident near Merritt Island, FL?

A tailwheel-equipped airplane nosed over after the pilot applied excessive braking during a wheel landing, resulting in substantial damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 23 Sept 2015 CESSNA 195 UNDESIGNAT accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 23 Sept 2015 involved a CESSNA 195 UNDESIGNAT, operated by ERIC H. CAPPEL, at Merritt Island, FL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's excessive braking during the landing roll, resulting in a nose over.