Piper PA-18-135 accident near Dyersburg, Tennessee, October 23, 2011
On October 23, 2011 at about 6:11 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-135, registered N27295, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Dyersburg, Tennessee. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent excessive braking during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2011 · about 6:11 pm local time
- Place
- Dyersburg, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-135 · all PA-18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N27295 · no longer on the register · serial 18-3597
- 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 had departed from a nearby paved runway and was practicing takeoffs and landings on his property. During the second landing, the airplane bounced, and the pilot's foot slipped off the right rudder pedal, which resulted in an overuse of the right heel brake. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and tail. The pilot stated there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have prevented normal operations.
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 › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 239 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 212 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 17, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,328 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 2011; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 C2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dyersburg TN at 6:08 pm
- Destination: Dyersburg TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,250 ft by 400 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from KDYR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.