Abernathy Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lubbock, Texas 79413
Saturday, September 8, 2007 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A flight instructor was providing flight instruction to a commercial pilot leading to a tailwheel endorsement. Toward the end of the instructional period, the flight instructor demonstrated wheel landings, which the pilot receiving instruction was able to perform satisfactorily. The flight instructor reported that while executing another wheel landing on Runway 17, the commercial pilot started to lose directional control, overcorrected, and used excessive differential braking. The tailwheel-equipped airplane pitched forward and subsequently nosed-over, coming to rest in the inverted position. Runway 17 was reported to be 4,000-foot long by 75-foot wide. The winds were reported as calm and the asphalt runway was dry. The flight instructor added that the directional control could have been corrected with an application of power rather than by brake application. Additionally, the flight instructor reported that there were no anomalies or malfunctions in the airplane's flight controls or tailwheel steering system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's delay in taking remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Lubbock
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79413
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335040N
Event Location Longitude 1014540W
Event Location Airport ABERNATHY MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F83
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1040 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID KLBB
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22630
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2007 6:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Lubbock, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72699
NTSB Number DFW07CA195
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 9875
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3262
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Charles S Childre
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3705 40th Street
Aircraft Owner City Lubbock
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79413
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LBB
Departure City LUBBOCK
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code F83
Destination City ABERNATHY
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 7 2007 4:10PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --