Pilot Debrief

Piper PA28 near Simsbury, CT — 2018-10-28

Final reportERA19LA030
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Date
2018-10-28
Location
Simsbury, CT, USA
Airport
4B9
Aircraft
Piper PA28
Registration
N8132X
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

Maintenance personnel's inadequate inspection of the wheel brake system during the airplane's most recent 100-hour inspection, which resulted in a loss of hydraulic fluid and the pilot's inability to control the airplane during the landing.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was practicing approaches and touch-and-go landings. The pilot reported that, during taxi for takeoff, the wheel brakes were "sluggish"; when he was attempting a full-stop landing at the destination airport, the brakes "failed." The pilot steered the airplane off the runway to avoid a fence and collided with a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear separated from the airplane during the ground collision, and there was evidence of pre-existing hydraulic fluid leakage where the fluid line fitting connected to the wheel brake assembly. Additionally, the right main landing gear wheel brake assembly was not attached to the trunnion by the required AN bolts, and the hydraulic fluid line fitting was not attached to the brake assembly. According to the maintenance logbooks, a 100-hour inspection was completed 18 days before the accident. The logbook entry noted servicing of all tires, wheels, brakes, and brake fluid. Given that the right main landing gear hydraulic fluid line was detached from its respective brake assembly, it is likely that maintenance personnel did not adequately inspect the wheel brake system, and the right brake failed due to a loss of hydraulic fluid.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have addressed brake issues during taxi before landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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