# NTSB CEN18LA180: Roger G White Glasair, N4EJ, Broomfield, CO, May 16, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 16, 2018, 15:20 local (21:20 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.908889, -105.117225 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9089&lon=-105.1172&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 97274 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA180 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97274/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97274 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA180 ## Probable cause The failure of the right brake line, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear brakes system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240/cases.md?model=0569104), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: brake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative (probable cause); cases with it: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md?model=0569104), [All aircraft, 297 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=0569104), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=0569104), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0569104), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0569104), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the experimental, amateur-built airplane started drifting to the left and he applied right rudder to correct. He subsequently attempted to apply right brake pressure to further correct for the drift as the airplane was traveling about 50 knots. At that time, the right brake pedal "went to the floor," and there was "zero" right brake available. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, crossed the grass, and came to rest on the parallel taxiway. A postrecovery examination revealed that the plastic right brake line was broken near the upper end of the landing gear strut. The airplane was equipped with a free-castering nosewheel and did not have any nosewheel steering capability. Directional control during ground operations was maintained with differential braking. As a result, maintaining directional control after the brake failure was not possible. ## Factual narrative On May 16, 2018, about 1520 mountain daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Roger G White Glasair airplane, N4EJ, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion after landing on runway 12L (9,000 ft by 100 ft, asphalt) at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Vance Brand Airport (LMO), Longmont, Colorado about 1500 and was destined for BJC.The pilot reported that he was relocating the airplane from LMO to BJC for modification of the fuel injection system after a recent sale. He noted that his preflight inspection and run-up did not reveal any anomalies. He specifically checked the brakes and detected no problems. The takeoff, cruise, and landing approach were conducted without incident. However, during the landing rollout, the airplane started drifting to the left and he applied right rudder to correct. He subsequently attempted to apply right brake pressure to further correct for the drift as the airplane was traveling about 50 knots. At that time, the right brake pedal "went to the floor;" there was "zero" right brake available. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, crossed the grass, and came to rest on the parallel taxiway. A postrecovery examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right brake line was broken near the upper end of the landing gear strut. The brake line consisted of a flexible plastic line at that location. The brake master cylinder was intact. No anomalies were observed related to the brake master cylinder or the caliper assemblies. The airplane was equipped with a free castering nose wheel and did not have any nose wheel steering capability. Directional control during ground operations was maintained with differential braking. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4EJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4EJ), registered now, S/N 265 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Roger G White Glasair (FT) - Registry model: [White Roger G GLASAIR FT](https://openairdocs.org/model/white-roger-g-glasair-ft) (registry code 0569104) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 265 - Year built: 1990 - Airframe hours: 1589.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, November 8, 2017, 0 hours before - Departed: LMO, Longmont, CO - Destination: BJC, Broomfield, CO - Airport: BJC, Rocky Mountain Muni, runway 12L, 9,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 81; injuries: minor; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 18, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 14,800 total, 250 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 7 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: BJC ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180516015009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180516015009A), May 16, 2018: White Roger G GLASAIR FT, Broomfield, CO, Substantial damage. On may 16, 2018, at approximately 1420 hours (MST), N4EJ, a glassair ft experimental homebuilt aircraft, sustained substantial damage during landing rollout at… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 23, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97274. 2.9 MB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465963&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Pilot's Qualifications & Flight Experience (item 2, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465964&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Qualifications%20%26%20Flight%20Experience-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465965&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Recovery Operator Statement (item 4, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465966&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recovery%20Operator%20Statement-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records - Airframe (item 5, .PDF, 960 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465967&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20-%20Airframe-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records - Engine (item 6, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465968&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20-%20Engine-Master.PDF - Surface Weather Observations - Broomfield, CO (item 7, .PDF, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465969&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Surface%20Weather%20Observations%20-%20Broomfield,%20CO-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.