Tangerine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Zellwood, Florida 32712
Friday, April 13, 2007 10:47 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After a three-point landing on a grass runway, the pilot applied down elevator control input in order to raise the empennage, and applied the brakes, resulting in 200 feet of skid marks. The propeller contacted the grass, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot replaced the main landing gear in 2006, and this was the eighth flight since its replacement. Four of the eight flights had been by the accident pilot. Excluding the accident flight, there were no reported discrepancies with the main landing gear. A test pilot who flew the airplane recently before the accident reported that the main landing gear was satisfactory, but cautioned the pilot about being careful when operating on grass. Absent any evidence of a mechanical malfunction, it is probable the nose over was the result of the pilot's excessive braking.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's excessive braking during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/13/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1047
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Zellwood
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32712
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 284537N
Event Location Longitude 0813621W
Event Location Airport Tangerine Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FL97
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 125
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KLEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 76
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23884
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Apr 13 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2008 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4204S
NTSB Number MIA07LA075
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 Charles C. Gillis
Aircraft Model Pitts S2S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 025
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 199
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott Gerow
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28412
Operator is an individual? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FL97
Departure City Zellwood
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1038
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FL97
Destination City Zellwood
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 3 2008 9:03AM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --