- Date
- May 8, 1993, 07:45 local (11:45 UTC)
- Place
- Simsbury, CT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N47448Piper PA-34-200T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930508012749A
- Case key
- 8769
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Lack of braking action from the right brake. The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point was a related factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was landing on a 2200 foot long runway. He stated that this was a normal short field landing with full flaps, and upon touchdown he retracted his flaps and proceeded to apply his brakes. He stated that his left brake locked up and his right brake failed which made the airplane difficult to control. He also reported that the mechanic had just worked 16 hours bleeding the brake system, and replacing both brake cylinders. The FAA reported that the airplane had touched down half way down the runway, and there was 535 feet of skid marks on the runway. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the brakes and related systems were examined for leaking fixtures that allow air into the system. The airplane exited the runway and the right main gear sheared off.
Factual narrative
On Saturday, May 8, 1993, at about 0745 eastern daylight time, N47448, a Piper PA 34 200T, owned and operated by Walter J Barrett of Circleville, New York, sustained substantial damage during landing at Simsbury Airport, Simsbury, Connecticut. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot was landing on a 2200 foot long runway. He stated that this was a normal short field landing with full flaps. He reported that upon touchdown, he retracted his flaps and proceeded to apply his brakes. According to the pilot, the left brake locked and his right brake failed. Reportedly the airplane was just out of maintenance of which 16 hours was spent bleeding the system and replacing both brake cylinders. The airplane exited the runway, and the right main gear sheared off. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the brakes and related systems were examined for leaking fixtures that allow air into the system.
According to the FAA, the pilot touched down half way down the runway, and during the landing roll as he applied the brakes, the brakes locked up. There was 535 feet of skid marks on the runway, before the airplane exited the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47448
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-7770396
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-E, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Walter J Barrett
- Registered owner
- Walter J Barrett
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- POU · Poughkeepsie, NY
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 4B9 · Simsbury, runway 21, 2,200 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 570 total · 50 in this make and model · 490 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.