"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
Orval Fairbairn wrote:
snip

Yesterday I witnessed a Baron pilot land nosewheel first, porpoise a
couple of times and eventually get control. Several of us there expected
to see the nosewheel fold and the Baron slide down the runway. Talk about
poor technique!

Your accounts got me to wondering ... how many of you all have actually
seen an airplane nose-over on a grass strip? I've been flying since 1978
at two airports that had grass strips (one had only grass until just last
year). I've NEVER seen an incident on a grass strip period, let alone one
that occurred because of failure to use short-field technique. I haven't
tried to search the NTSB archives yet. I'm sure they have some accounts,
but it certainly isn't the type of crash that I've either heard or read
about with any frequency.


Matt

Me. There is a fly-in at Thomasville, GA every fall. It is a favorite of
the folks who fly antiques. About 10 years ago I was there and had the
misfortune of watching a vintage biplane go end over end during a botched
landing. I didn't see the beginning of the accident, but something drew my
eye to the aircraft right as the nose went into the ground. No idea whether
the accident was grass strip related, a mechanical failue (locked brakes?),
or simple pilot error. I don't remember the field conditions being anything
special on that day.

KB