What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot reported that he performed a brake check after start up prior to taxi, and the brakes worked normal. The pilot then began a taxi to the runup area for runway 1 at Glendale airport AZ (kgeu).approaching the runup area the pilot tried to use the brakes to slow the airplane, however, there was no response from the hand brake. Pilot then states he reduced the engine power to idle and the airplane continued off the taxiway. The pilot made a 90 degree left turn onto the dirt surface, continued approximately 200 feet and collided with a fence. This resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. Had the pilot shut down the engine properly by turning off the magneto switches, the enigne would have stopped, possibly preventing this accident. After the aircraft was repositioned by the salvage crew, the unresponsive brake lever was demonstrated by the pilot to the airport operations manager of Glendale airport. The aircraft brake system was looked at by NTSB investigator on 01/06/12. Pleminary evidence suggest no initial brake problems, however, could not be ruled out due to the damage sustained to the wheels, hydraulic lines, and landing gear system.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PERFORMED A BRAKE CHECK AFTER START UP PRIOR TO TAXI, AND THE BRAKES WORKED NORMAL. THE PILOT THEN BEGAN A TAXI TO THE RUNUP AREA FOR RUNWAY 1 AT GLENDALE AIRPORT AZ (KGEU).APPROACHING THE RUNUP AREA THE PILOT TRIED TO USE THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE HAND BRAKE.PILOT THEN STATES HE REDUCED THE ENGINE POWER TO IDLE AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE TAXIWAY. THE PILOT MADE A 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN ONTO THE DIRT SURFACE, CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THIS RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.HAD THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE PROPERLY BY TURNING OFF THE MAGNETO SWITCHES, THE ENIGNE WOULD HAVE STOPPED, POSSIBLY PREVENTING THIS ACCIDENT.AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPOSITIONED BY THE SALVAGE CREW, THE UNRESPONSIVE BRAKE LEVER WAS DEMONSTRATED BY THE PILOT TO THE AIRPORT OPERATIONS MANAGER OF GLENDALE AIRPORT.THE AIRCRAFT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS LOOKED AT BY NTSB INVESTIGATOR ON 01/06/12. PLEMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGEST NO INITIAL BRAKE PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, COULD NOT BE RULED OUT DUE TO THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE WHEELS, HYDRAULIC LINES, AND LANDING GEAR SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.