NTSB Factual Report

On December 19, 2001, about 1230 eastern standard time, a Pitts S-1S, N522H, registered to a private owner, nosed over during landing roll at Orlando Sanford Airport in Sanford, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the airline transport pilot was not injured. The local flight departed Orlando Sanford Airport about 1150.

The pilot executed a downwind approach and touched down on runway 9 center. The pilot stated, during landing roll at 10 miles per hour, a tailwind picked up the tail of the airplane. The airplane's propeller struck the ground, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. A review of weather observation data for the airport indicated at 1253, winds were reported from 260 degrees magnetic at 10 knots.

Initial examination of the airplane revealed the propeller and spinner were damaged, the top wing spar support members were bent, one outboard wing spar was broken, the top rudder bow was bent with wrinkling of the fuselage at the base of the fin, the leading edge of the top wing showed cracks on both sides of the fuel tank, and the engine mounts were displaced.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing roll in a tailwind, which resulted in a nose-over on the runway.