What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 8, 2024, at approximately 08:33 LCL, a vans RV8 (conventional gear aircraft) flew back from payson airport (pan) into Falcon field airport (ffz). The aircraft arrived from usery pass and was instructed to enter a right downwind for runway 4R. The aircraft had to extend downwind due to a congested traffic pattern.
The aircraft was cleared to land runway 4R. The aircraft performed a normal landing in landing configuration. The pilot-in-command requested a “wind check” prior to landing and tower replied “120 at 8”. After landing, and with the tailwheel having touched down, the PIC started applying brakes. According to the PIC, the aircraft veered “violently” to the right once braking was applied. The PIC applied full left rudder but the aircraft continued heading towards the right and exited the runway surface.
The aircraft came to rest in the dirt between D4 and D5 taxiways. The aircraft was pointing towards the runway almost at a 90-degree angle. No injuries occurred. The observable damage to the aircraft was the left wheel fairing being cracked.
The aircraft was eventually towed back to the privacy data omitted/pic’s hangar.
After interviewing the PIC, the potential root causes provided was either wind gust related or potentially, a mechanical issue. The PIC has plans to have the aircraft inspected prior to flying the aircraft again. The PIC stated he would share any information/issues found during the aircraft inspection. The investigating ASI also e-mailed the PIC about full rudder deflection and such deflection causing the other pedal to be pressed against that foot, which may lead to an inadvertent increase in differential braking.
PIC provided photographs of brake rotor and brake caliper. Based on witness marks on brake caliper, suspicion of FOD inside wheel leading to asymmetrical/mulfunctioning brake.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 8, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 08:33 LCL, A VANS RV8 (CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRCRAFT) FLEW BACK FROM PAYSON AIRPORT (PAN) INTO FALCON FIELD AIRPORT (FFZ). THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED FROM USERY PASS AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 4R. THE AIRCRAFT HAD TO EXTEND DOWNWIND DUE TO A CONGESTED TRAFFIC PATTERN.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED TO LAND RUNWAY 4R. THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMED A NORMAL LANDING IN LANDING CONFIGURATION. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND REQUESTED A “WIND CHECK” PRIOR TO LANDING AND TOWER REPLIED “120 AT 8”. AFTER LANDING, AND WITH THE TAILWHEEL HAVING TOUCHED DOWN, THE PIC STARTED APPLYING BRAKES. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED “VIOLENTLY” TO THE RIGHT ONCE BRAKING WAS APPLIED. THE PIC APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED HEADING TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND EXITED THE RUNWAY SURFACE.
THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE DIRT BETWEEN D4 AND D5 TAXIWAYS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS POINTING TOWARDS THE RUNWAY ALMOST AT A 90-DEGREE ANGLE. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. THE OBSERVABLE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS THE LEFT WHEEL FAIRING BEING CRACKED.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED BACK TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^/PIC’S HANGAR.
AFTER INTERVIEWING THE PIC, THE POTENTIAL ROOT CAUSES PROVIDED WAS EITHER WIND GUST RELATED OR POTENTIALLY, A MECHANICAL ISSUE. THE PIC HAS PLANS TO HAVE THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTED PRIOR TO FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN. THE PIC STATED HE WOULD SHARE ANY INFORMATION/ISSUES FOUND DURING THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION. THE INVESTIGATING ASI ALSO E-MAILED THE PIC ABOUT FULL RUDDER DEFLECTION AND SUCH DEFLECTION CAUSING THE OTHER PEDAL TO BE PRESSED AGAINST THAT FOOT, WHICH MAY LEAD TO AN INADVERTENT INCREASE IN DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING.
PIC PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPHS OF BRAKE ROTOR AND BRAKE CALIPER. BASED ON WITNESS MARKS ON BRAKE CALIPER, SUSPICION OF FOD INSIDE WHEEL LEADING TO ASYMMETRICAL/MULFUNCTIONING BRAKE.