# NTSB ERA13LA048: Cirrus Design SR22, N6839R, Pahokee, FL, October 21, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 21, 2012, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Pahokee, FL - Coordinates: 26.784444, -80.689445 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7844&lon=-80.6894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 7, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Cirrus, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 85524 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13LA048 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85524/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85524 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA048 ## Probable cause A main landing gear wheel fire for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [Cirrus Design SR22, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=2130001), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that, as he was taxiing the airplane, it felt as if the brakes were "not working properly" and "dragging." He chose to return to the ramp to have the airplane inspected. After parking the airplane and while he was shutting down the engine, a lineman approached and told the pilot that the airplane's wheels were on fire. The pilot and passenger subsequently egressed the airplane without injury. Postaccident examinations revealed fire damage to the left and right main landing gear, both wings, and the underside of the fuselage but no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. ## Factual narrative On October 21, 2012, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N6839R, registered to and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a brake fire while taxiing at Palm Beach County Glades Airport (PHK), Pahokee, Florida. The private pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, after refueling the airplane at PHK on a multi-leg flight from Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport, Indianapolis, Indiana (UMP) to Lantana Airport (LNA), Lantana, Florida, he began taxiing to the runway for departure. During the taxi, he felt that the brakes were "not working properly" and "dragging", so he elected to return to the ramp in order to have the airplane inspected. After parking the airplane, and while he was shutting down the engine, a lineman approached and advised the pilot of the fire. The pilot and passenger subsequently egressed without injury and the fire was extinguished. Initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that both the left and right landing gear were fire damaged, and that the underside of the fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged. Further examination, by a FAA inspector, did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or anomlies that would have precluded normal operations. According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate, with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot reported 1,030 total hours of flight experience; of which, 600 of those hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The four-seat, low-wing, tricycle-gear airplane, was manufactured in 2002. It was powered by one Continental Motors IO-550, 310-horsepower engine, equipped with a Hartzell controllable-pitch propeller. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 2, 2012. At that time the brake system was disassembled and inspected in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. According to the pilot, the brake system fluid and brake pads were changed. At the time of the accident, the airplane and the engine had accumulated 603 total hours of time in service. The 1553 recorded weather observation at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), 35 miles east of the accident site included wind from 010 degrees at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 5,000, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 16 degree C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6839R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6839R), registered now, S/N 0405, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 - Registry model: [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22) (registry code 2130001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0405 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 603 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Nbl Air LLC - Registered owner: Nbl Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 2, 2012, 5 hours before - Departed: PHK, Pahokee, FL - Destination: LNA, Lantana, FL - Airport: PHK, Palm Beach County Glades Airpo, runway 35, 4,116 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Airframe parachute ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 2, 2010; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,030 total, 600 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 1° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: PBI, 35 nm away ## 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 20121021023769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121021023769A), Oct 21, 2012: Cirrus Design Corp SR22, Pahokee, FL, Substantial damage. On October 21, 2012, at approximately 15:30 eastern standard time N6839R, a Cirrus design corporation SR22, serial number 0405, landed at Palm Beach county… ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 23, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85524. 5.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 762 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40397762&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record (FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405664&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record (Pilot's interview) (item 3, .PDF, 255 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400877&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20(Pilot%27s%20interview)-Master.PDF - Pilot's statement to FAA (item 4, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20statement%20to%20FAA-Master.PDF - Multi-Function Display - Specialist's Factual Report (item 5, .PDF, 519 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385858&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Multi-Function%20Display%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Attachment 1 - Multi-Function Display Factual Report (item 6, .CSV, 323 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385859&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Attachment%201%20-%20Multi-Function%20Display%20Factual%20Report-Master.csv - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 7, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400874&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 8, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40397891&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Photograph #1: Photo of airplane (Courtesy of FAA) (item 9, .PDF, 793 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400871&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%231%3A%20Photo%20of%20airplane%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph #2: View of left main landing gear (Courtesy of FAA) (item 10, .PDF, 959 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400872&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%232%3A%20View%20of%20left%20main%20landing%20gear%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph #3: View of right main landing gear (Courtesy of FAA) (item 11, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400873&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%233%3A%20View%20of%20right%20main%20landing%20gear%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.