Javron PA-18 Replica accident near Nephi, Utah, December 3, 2019
On December 3, 2019 at about 11:39 pm local time, a 2017 Javron PA-18 Replica, registered N864SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Nephi, Utah (Nephi Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passenger’s inadvertent application of the brakes during landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2019 · about 11:39 pm local time
- Place
- Nephi, Utah · Nephi Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Javron PA-18 Replica, built 2017
- Registration
- N864SC · registry record · serial JA1607094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was planning to perform an off-airport landing on the shore of a reservoir where he had successfully landed many times before. After about a 30-minute flight, the pilot configured the airplane for landing on the shoreline. During touchdown, the passenger, who was in the rear seat, inadvertently applied the brakes. Because the brakes were applied on touchdown, the airplane immediately nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,716 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 8,230 as pilot in command; 661 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 29, 2019
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 2,200 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U14 Nephi UT at 11:15 pm
- Destination: U14 Nephi UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 25.64 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from KPVU, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 14, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.