Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's excessive use of the brakes while taxiing, allowing the aircraft to nose over.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On June 25, 1998, at 1350 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N30576, nosed over while taxiing at the Benton airport in Redding, California. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot suffered minor injuries, and the passenger received no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he completed a landing on runway 33 and was beginning a left turn to taxi back to the hangar. The aircraft was still on the runway centerline and was moving about 10 miles per hour. The pilot stated that the tail became light "due to excessive braking" and the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The pilot reported that there are two windsocks on the field, and both were showing no wind at the time of the accident. The pilot further reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX98LA213