Boeing A75 accident near Douglas, Georgia, October 20, 2010
On October 20, 2010 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Boeing A75, registered N63538, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Douglas, Georgia (Douglas Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A nose-over due to excessive brake application.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2010 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Douglas, Georgia · Douglas Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75 N1 · all A75s on the register
- Registration
- N63538 · registry record · serial 751864
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was conducting a series of scheduled flights for World War II veterans and their families in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight departed, remained within 7 nautical miles of the departure airport, and returned for landing on runway 22. The pilot reported that the wind was from 230 degrees and was light and variable, but a surface observation weather report taken from the accident airport about 5 minutes before the accident indicated the wind was from 280 degrees at 7 knots. Upon touchdown, the airplane began a rapid and abnormal deceleration, which the pilot was unable to prevent. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. The pilot stated that he believed the front seat passenger put her feet on the rudder pedals in order to brace for landing and inadvertently operated the brakes. The passenger stated that she remembered keeping her feet flat on the floor. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the brakes did not show any signs of leaks and that they were functioning normally after several tests. The pilot stated that prior to the nose-over he did not experience any malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 29, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,321 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vintage Flights, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DQH Douglas GA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: DQH Douglas GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 4:40 pm from DQH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N63538 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.