20050825022539A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-236 · San Martin, CA · August 25, 2005

Date: August 25, 2005 · 15:15 local
Place: San Martin, CA
Airport: South County Airport Of Santa Cla
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4366K
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX05CA280
Reported as: Piper PA28236
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 263 total240 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N4366KRegistered now · Piper PA-28-236S/N 28-8411025 · Built 1984 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-236 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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) After touchdown the PIC applied normal brake pressure and found the aircraft turning to the left. The PIC applied takeoff power and accomplished a go around to set up for a possible abnormal landing. The PIC set up for and accomplished a short field landing and let the aircraft roll out without brakes. However he was approaching the end of the runway, so he decided to slow the aircraft with the brakes, and immediately found himself headed towards the tree line that parallels the runway on the left side of the field. The PIC allowed the aircraft to hit the trees and fence without applying any more brakes after the initial braking turned him to the left. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger. The aircraft was then towed to the owners hangar after the local FBO contacted the FSDO. At the time of this report the brake system had not been disassembled, only visually and operationally checked in the hangar.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PIC APPLIED NORMAL BRAKE PRESSURE AND FOUND THE AIRCRAFT TURNING TO THE LEFT. THE PIC APPLIED TAKEOFF POWER AND ACCOMPLISHED A GO AROUND TO SET UP FOR A POSSIBLE ABNORMAL LANDING. THE PIC SET UP FOR AND ACCOMPLISHED A SHORT FIELD LANDING AND LET THE AIRCRAFT ROLL OUT WITHOUT BRAKES. HOWEVER HE WAS APPROACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, SO HE DECIDED TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE BRAKES, AND IMMEDIATELY FOUND HIMSELF HEADED TOWARDS THE TREE LINE THAT PARALLELS THE RUNWAY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FIELD. THE PIC ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO HIT THE TREES AND FENCE WITHOUT APPLYING ANY MORE BRAKES AFTER THE INITIAL BRAKING TURNED HIM TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, BUT NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR THE SINGLE PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE OWNERS HANGAR AFTER THE LOCAL FBO CONTACTED THE FSDO. AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAD NOT BEEN DISASSEMBLED, ONLY VISUALLY AND OPERATIONALLY CHECKED IN THE HANGAR.

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 LAX05CA280Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSan Martin, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. A factor in the accident was the spongy brakes.Aug 25, 2005 · Substantial damage