Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B accident near Gainesville, Texas, November 23, 2011
On November 23, 2011 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B, registered N252U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gainesville, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The right main gear tire contacting the brake caliper, which resulted in an uncommanded brake effect on the wheel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B · all A-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N252U · registry record · serial 2143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed a landing on a remote sandbar in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot stated that, on landing, the airplane started a slow turn to the right. He added that it appeared the right brake had locked-up and that he tried to correct the turn by adding full left rudder, left aileron, and full aft elevator. The pilot was unable to correct the turn, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position. After the airplane was recovered, it was noted that the airplane’s wheels were free to rotate. A “witness mark” was found on the right tire corresponding to the brake caliper. The airplane was equipped with low pressure, oversized bush wheels. The event is consistent with low tire pressure and/or a side load on the tire, which allowed it to come into contact with the brake caliper. The result of tire/caliper contact would be a dragging or brake effect on the wheel.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Braking capability › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2011
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: C & M Kuhn LLC
The flight
- Departed from: T31 Mckinney TX at 8:30 pm
- Destination: KADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KGLE, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12LA087.