Cessna 195 N3484V accident near Merritt Island, Florida

Probable cause

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

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he performed a wheel landing on the asphalt runway. The pilot stated that he landed at a speed of 70 miles per hour, and that he allowed the tailwheel to touch down on the runway at approximately 45 miles per hour. He stated that when the tailwheel touched down, the airplane rapidly veered to the left and he attempted to correct the left movement by applying right rudder as well as the brakes. Excessive braking resulted in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings and empennage.

Photographs provided by the FAA showed the airplane veering about 30 degrees toward the left edge of the runway. The left tire mark showed in excess of 30 feet of full tread width, dark black, rubber skid, while the right tire mark showed continual skidding of the inside (right) edge and intermittent full tread width skids. About 30 feet from where the airplane came to rest inverted, the left skid mark lightened up showing continual tread edge skidding and intermittent full tread width skids, and the airplane had turned to the right paralleling to the runway edge. No tailwheel marks were visible in the photographs. The airplane came to rest inverted about 75 feet short of the B4 intersection.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA15CA289 for the full record.