20031213033019A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech 35BEECH · Laconia, NH · December 13, 2003

Date: December 13, 2003 · 15:00 local
Place: Laconia, NH
Airport: Laconia Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3116V
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC04LA048
Reported as: Beech 35BEECH
Reported engine: Continental E1858
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 360 total165 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N3116VRegistration cancelled Jul 6, 2017 · Beech 35S/N D-539 · Built 1947 Airframe modelBeech 35 Engine modelContinental E185 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Mr. Cuni was completing a VFR flight plan from ash to lci and landing on runway 26 (5,286 ft.). On landing the right brake pedal had no resistance. The pilot tried to move his right leg over to the right seat rudder pedals to use the brake on that side, during the process he inadvertently pushed the throttle to full power with his leg. At the same time, the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway just west of the VASI lights. The aircraft continued across a snow covered grass area, crossed the taxiway, dropped off a 15 foot embankment, and came to an abrupt stop with the nose down in a frozen swamp. The pilot exited the aircraft with only a bruised right knee, (he declined medical care at the site). The prop, nose gear, engine cowl, firewall and forward fuselage sustained substantial damage. There was no evidence of any other property damage. Subsequent investigation found the pilot's right brake master cylinder had a broken shaft just below the threads.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. CUNI WAS COMPLETING A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM ASH TO LCI AND LANDING ON RUNWAY 26 (5,286 FT.). ON LANDING THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL HAD NO RESISTANCE. THE PILOT TRIED TO MOVE HIS RIGHT LEG OVER TO THE RIGHT SEAT RUDDER PEDALS TO USE THE BRAKE ON THAT SIDE, DURING THE PROCESS HE INADVERTENTLY PUSHED THE THROTTLE TO FULL POWER WITH HIS LEG. AT THE SAME TIME, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY JUST WEST OF THE VASI LIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ACROSS A SNOW COVERED GRASS AREA, CROSSED THE TAXIWAY, DROPPED OFF A 15 FOOT EMBANKMENT, AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP WITH THE NOSE DOWN IN A FROZEN SWAMP. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONLY A BRUISED RIGHT KNEE, (HE DECLINED MEDICAL CARE AT THE SITE). THE PROP, NOSE GEAR, ENGINE COWL, FIREWALL AND FORWARD FUSELAGE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION FOUND THE PILOT'S RIGHT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAD A BROKEN SHAFT JUST BELOW THE THREADS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC04LA048Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLaconia, NHThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control after experiencing a brake failure. A factor related to the accident was the failure of the brake master cylinder.Dec 13, 2003 · Substantial damage