What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
An occurrence report was submitted on March 17, 2023 that privacy data omitted exited the taxiway and struck a taxiway light at cape cod gateway airport (khya). After striking the taxiway light, the aircraft was towed to privacy data omitted. There were no injuries reported. On discussing the event with the pilot, privacy data omitted, he stated he conducted a preflight, as he usually does, and did notice anything unusual. He did recall that the week prior there had been another flight that experienced brake issues but it had been corrected by the mechanics at privacy data omitted. After conducting his preflight inspection, he taxied out and did a “typical” run-up. During the run-up, he felt a bit of a pull to the left but he tapped the right brake and that seemed to correct it. As he turned onto taxiway alpha, he realized he had an issue. He approached the hold-short line for the active runway at which point the aircraft took a hard left off the taxiway. He quickly turned off the engine to attempt to regain control of the aircraft. He was concerned the brakes failed so he asked air traffic control for assistance.
On inspection of the aircraft, a small nick was found on the back of the propeller blade. No other damage was observed. Additionally, as the pilot reported issues with the brakes, the brakes were inspected for any faults or issues. The brakes were in working condition and no issues were found. The previously reported brake issues were in September of 2022 and March of 2023. In both cases, the right brake was found to be “soft”. In the most recent discrepancy, the right master cylinder was found to be empty so it was removed, cleaned, inspected and reassembled with new seals.
As the FAA filed it
AN OCCURRENCE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED ON MARCH 17, 2023 THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXITED THE TAXIWAY AND STRUCK A TAXIWAY LIGHT AT CAPE COD GATEWAY AIRPORT (KHYA). AFTER STRIKING THE TAXIWAY LIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. ON DISCUSSING THE EVENT WITH THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HE STATED HE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT, AS HE USUALLY DOES, AND DID NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL. HE DID RECALL THAT THE WEEK PRIOR THERE HAD BEEN ANOTHER FLIGHT THAT EXPERIENCED BRAKE ISSUES BUT IT HAD BEEN CORRECTED BY THE MECHANICS AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AFTER CONDUCTING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, HE TAXIED OUT AND DID A “TYPICAL” RUN-UP. DURING THE RUN-UP, HE FELT A BIT OF A PULL TO THE LEFT BUT HE TAPPED THE RIGHT BRAKE AND THAT SEEMED TO CORRECT IT. AS HE TURNED ONTO TAXIWAY ALPHA, HE REALIZED HE HAD AN ISSUE. HE APPROACHED THE HOLD-SHORT LINE FOR THE ACTIVE RUNWAY AT WHICH POINT THE AIRCRAFT TOOK A HARD LEFT OFF THE TAXIWAY. HE QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE TO ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE WAS CONCERNED THE BRAKES FAILED SO HE ASKED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FOR ASSISTANCE.
ON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, A SMALL NICK WAS FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE PROPELLER BLADE. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED. ADDITIONALLY, AS THE PILOT REPORTED ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED FOR ANY FAULTS OR ISSUES. THE BRAKES WERE IN WORKING CONDITION AND NO ISSUES WERE FOUND. THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BRAKE ISSUES WERE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022 AND MARCH OF 2023. IN BOTH CASES, THE RIGHT BRAKE WAS FOUND TO BE “SOFT”. IN THE MOST RECENT DISCREPANCY, THE RIGHT MASTER CYLINDER WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY SO IT WAS REMOVED, CLEANED, INSPECTED AND REASSEMBLED WITH NEW SEALS.