PANHANDLE, TX, USA
N2699M
Piper PA-12
The pilot lost control of the 1946 model tail-wheel equipped airplane during the landing roll following a precautionary landing on a road. According to the pilot, he heard a 'loud pop' while in cruise flight. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing because of his concern with the age of the airplane. During the landing roll, the pilot allowed the airplane to drift to the right side of the road 'thinking he was going too slow for it to matter.' The tires sunk into the soft ground on the side of the road, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted.
On June 12, 1999, approximately 1215 central daylight time, a Piper PA-12 tail-wheel equipped airplane, N2699M, owned by the Amarillo Cub Club of Amarillo, Texas, and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a precautionary landing near Panhandle, Texas. The instrument rated commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from Amarillo, Texas, approximately 1130 and was destined for Panhandle, Texas. During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that during a turn, he heard a "loud pop." The pilot was "concerned since it was an older airplane" and elected to make a precautionary landing on a road. During the landing roll, the airplane was "pushed to the side of the road" where the tires sunk into the soft shoulder, and subsequently, the airplane nosed over. According to the FAA inspector, the pilot stated that "he let the airplane drift to the side of the road while it was slowing down, thinking that he was going too slow to matter." The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, the winds were from the east at 5 knots. According to an aircraft mechanic who examined the 1946 model airplane, both wing struts were buckled and the wing spars were bent. Additional damage was sustained by the propeller and the engine cowling. The aircraft mechanic and the FAA inspector examined the airplane and found no anomalies with the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations. According to the aircraft's maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed on February 4, 1999. The pilot had accumulated approximately 1,348 hours total flight time, of which 30 hours were in the PA-12.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. A factor was the noise heard by the pilot that resulted in his decision to execute a precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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