# Accident 20090402008849A: Piper PA31325, Newark, NJ, April 2, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 2, 2009, 18:30 local time
- Place: Newark, NJ
- Airport: Newark Liberty International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.6925° N, 74.1686° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6925&lon=-74.1686&mi=10
- Aircraft: N707AG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N707AG-2023-12-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-325 (registry code 7103105, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-325) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31325
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 11,800 total, 200 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09CA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA227) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090402008849A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE ABORTED HIS FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT ON RWY 22R AT KEWR BECAUSE HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.  WHEN ASKEED IF THE REASON HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE HE SAID YES.  PILOT STATED THAT HE PULLED OFF THE RUNWAY AND CHECKED THE RUDDER AND BRAKES AND THE PROBLEM CLEARED UP.  HE STATED THAT HE TAXIIED BACK TO THE FBO AND CHECKED THE WHEELS AND BRAKES, WHICH APPEARED NORMAL.  HE REACTIVATED HIS CLEARANCE AND TAXIED OUT FOR RWY 22R AGAIN.  WHILE TAXIING EWR TOWER INFORMED THAT HE COULD EXPEDITE HIS DEPARTURE IF HE TOOK RWY 29.  HE MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN ON TAXIWAY Z TO TAXI BACK TO RWY 29.  AT THIS TIME THE BRAKE PROBLEM RETURNED.  WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN FROM TAXIWAY Z ONTO TAXIWAY S, HE STRUCK THE END OF A CYCLONE TYPE FENCE WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING INCURRING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  WHEN ASKED IF HE WAS AWARE THAT THE FENCE WAS THERE, HE SAID YES.  THE FOLLOWING DAY, INSPECTORS OF THE TETERBORO FSDO INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT HAND BRAKE WORKED AND WAS EFFECTIVE AND THAT THE RIGHT HAND BRAKE DID NOT WORK AND WAS NOT EFFECTIVE.  THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PILOT'S ACCOUNT OF HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKING A RIGHT TURN WHILE TAXIING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA09CA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA227), Apr 2, 2009: Piper PA-31-325 (N707AG), Newark, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to continue to operate the airplane with inoperative brakes on the airplane's right side.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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