What happened
On December 8, 1963, a Piper J3C, registration HB-OUO, was involved in an accident during a flight training session at a military airfield. The aircraft was occupied by a flight instructor and a student pilot at the time of the occurrence. Following a landing, the student pilot applied excessive braking during the landing roll. This sudden deceleration caused the aircraft to lose stability and capsize, resulting in the aircraft turning upside down.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing phase and the application of braking forces. The inquiry established that the physical movement of the aircraft was a direct result of the braking technique employed by the student pilot. The investigation confirmed that there were no injuries to the occupants or any third parties involved in the incident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the student pilot's decision to brake too aggressively during the rollout.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage as a result of the capsize.
- Damage to third-party property was negligible.