Piper PA-12 N2971M accident near Valley, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot's excessive brake application during the landing roll after overshooting the intended touchdown point, resulting in a nose over.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he elected to land in a recently mowed field at his parent's farm. He overflew some nearby ponds to verify wind conditions, which appeared to be calm. He then decided to land to the north since the field sloped uphill in that direction. During the landing sequence, the pilot stated that he touched down long and then applied the brakes with such force that the airplane nosed over onto its back, substantially damaging both the fuselage and the left wing. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noted that there was an intermittent wind blowing from the south. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR11CA007 for the full record.