N6063M

Substantial
Minor

STINSON 108-3S/N: 108-4063

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, March 25, 2010
NTSB Number
WPR10CA179
Location
Lebanon, OR
Event ID
20100325X22834
Coordinates
44.527778, -122.929725
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to release his brake application after adding power to regain directional control during the landing roll.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
STINSON
Serial Number
108-4063
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1947
Model / ICAO
108-3S108
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
108-3

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
BENNETT STEVEN TUCKER
Address
PO BOX 1017
City
BETHEL
State / Zip Code
AK 99559-1017
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane completed a number of touch-and-go landings, and then made a full-stop landing so he could taxi to the parking area to talk with some friends. When he took off again a few minutes later to do one final landing before putting the airplane away, he discovered that the wind speed had picked up, and that he would be landing in a gusting crosswind. During the landing roll, which was along the leeward side of a row of hangars with occasional spaces between them, the airplane started turning toward the left side of the runway (into the wind). When the pilot found that full right brake and full right rudder was not enough to bring the airplane back to the right, he added a significant amount of engine power in an attempt to regain control. Although the airplane's ground track began to straighten after he added power, the pilot kept the right wheel brake fully applied, resulting in the airplane attaining a nose-down attitude, whereupon the propeller began hitting the runway surface. With the propeller hitting the runway surface, the pilot found it necessary to reduce power, and therefore the airplane turned further left, and its left main wheel departed the left edge of the runway onto some soft terrain. The left wheel then sank into the terrain, and with the right brake still fully applied, the airplane nosed over onto its back. The accident sequence resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, left wing, and left wing lift strut.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR10CA179