Luscombe 8 N22052 accident near Orofino, Idaho

Probable cause

The pilot's improper brake application during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience using heel brakes.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he decided to perform a high-speed taxi after repairs had been made to the tailwheel-equipped airplane "to verify controls and instrumentation," but the airplane became airborne, and he decided that the safest action was to fly one pattern and land. He reported that, during the landing roll, the ground speed decreased to about 3 knots, the brakes locked up, and the airplane then nosed over. The pilot added that the airplane was equipped with heel brakes and that it had been 13 years since he had flown a tailwheel-equipped airplane with heel brakes.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the rudder.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA240 for the full record.