N1231K

On January 7, 1999, about 1645 Eastern Standard Time, a Luscombe 8-A, N1231K, nosed-over during landing at the Manatee Airport, in Palmetto, Florida. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight. The pilot and one passenger were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane had departed Manatee Airport about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

According to the pilot, during the first few landings he felt a vibration. On the accident landing, the left wheel faring failed and became lodged under the left main wheel during the landing roll. The pilot applied right rudder in an attempt to maintain directional control, but the airplane continued to veer left. The airplane skidded approximately 30 feet and nosed-over on the runway. The nose-over damaged the prop, windshield, right wing, and the vertical stabilizer.

Examination of the airplane revealed that there were no mechanical failures. The left wheel faring attach screws on the inside had sheared off, and the attach bolt on the outside had pulled through the fiberglass on the faring. The same damage was noted on the right faring except that it remained partially attached. Additionally, there were tire marks in the grass and sand made by the left and right main tires, which indicated that the brakes were applied at a slow speed. The marks terminated at the point were the airplane nosed-over.