KNIK, AK, USA
N91952
PIPER PA-3
THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS, HAD JUST COMPLETED SEVERAL FULL STOP WHEEL LANDINGS AT THE AIRPORT. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE STUDENT RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND BEGAN ERRATIC LONGITUDINAL CONTROL ON THE LANDING ROLLOUT. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT INITIATED LEFT RUDDER TO STRAIGHTEN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND APPLIED ELEVATOR CONTROL TO GET THE TAILWHEEL ON THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE STUDENT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDALS. THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDED TO GO UP ONTO ITS NOSE AND OVER ONTO ITS BACK. PRIOR TO THE MISHAP FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE STUDENT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL PUCK CLEVELAND BRAKES, THAT THE BRAKES WERE VERY SENSITIVE, AND AS SUCH TO STAY OFF THE BRAKES.
On June 12, 1993, at 1030 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA3 Cub airplane, N91952, flown by the student pilot on board the airplane, crashed during the landing rollout on runway 25 at Goose Bay Airport, Alaska. The flight instructor, who was also the pilot in command of the flight, received minor injuries, the student pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight, which originated at Merrill Field in Anchorage, Alaska, earlier in the day, was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 for the purpose of providing flight instruction to the student pilot who had recently purchased the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The flight instructor and the student pilot were interviewed on separate occasions via telephone by the NTSB investigator in charge. Both individuals reported that shortly before the mishap, the student had completed several full stop wheel landings at the Goose Bay Airport. The instructor alerted the student to the fact that the airplane was equipped with dual puck Cleveland brakes, that the brakes were very sensitive, and as such to stay off the brakes. On the accident flight, the student retarded the throttle to idle and began erratic longitudinal control on the rollout. The instructor said that he used left rudder to straighten the directional control and elevator control to get the tailwheel on the ground at the same time that the student applied the brakes. The airplane proceeded to go up onto its nose and over onto its back.
THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE STUDENT PILOT AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CFI PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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