| Crash location | 39.223889°N, 121.005000°W |
| Nearest city | Grass Valley, CA
39.219061°N, 121.061061°W 3.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N7635K |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 02 Aug 2008 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-20 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot reported that he made a wheel landing at Grass Valley's runway 25. He dropped the tail and started to apply the brakes when his right foot slipped off the rudder pedal, he was wearing cowboy boots. The plane veered left and he applied full left brake to avoid nosing into a drainage ditch head first. During this turn the tail wheel struck a boulder and the right wing tipped down and struck the ground.
The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control due to his foot slipping off one rudder pedal while braking.