Cessna 120 N2693N accident near Lakeville, Minnesota

Probable cause

The student pilot's excessive application of the brakes during the landing roll and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a nose-over.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor was conducting tailwheel training operations with the private pilot who did not have any tailwheel experience. During the second landing, the tailwheel touched down first, the airplane bounced slightly, and then landed on all three landing gear. According to the instructor, the airplane began to swerve left and right; the student did not make the proper corrections so he took over the flight controls. During the recovery the brakes were applied, the airplane nosed-over, and came to rest inverted on the runway. The flight instructor did not recall touching the brakes during the recovery, but thought the student might have inadvertently applied the brakes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The flight instructor stated that prior to the accident there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13CA400 for the full record.