- Date
- January 10, 2003, 12:49 local (19:49 UTC)
- Place
- Prescott, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1252WWaco SRE
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030110000249A
- Case key
- 56322
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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing resulting in a collision with a runway sign. Factors in the accident were the tailwind and the malfunctioning brake system.
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
This was the pilot's third flight in the airplane accompanied by the owner. There was a right quartering tailwind of 6 knots on the landing runway. After a three-point touchdown, the airplane began to veer to the left at about a 10-degree angle. Right brake was applied for correction, but the airplane continued to turn left. The airplane impacted a runway sign which collapsed the right main landing gear. Post accident left brake examination revealed intermittent brake application when either rudder pedal reached full travel due to the linkage beginning to push the brake master cylinder's piston. The right brake could not be tested since the brake line was cut during aircraft recovery.
Factual narrative
On January 10, 2003, at 1249 mountain standard time, a Waco SRE, N1252W, lost directional control on landing and struck a runway sign at Prescott Love Field Airport, Prescott, Arizona. The pilot was operating the borrowed airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger/owner received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Prescott about 1215.
In a written statement submitted by the pilot, he stated that this was his third flight in the airplane with the owner. The pilot was learning the operational characteristics of the airplane so that he could accompany the owner on future trips. The first flight was flown from the right seat, the other two flights were flown from the left seat. The third flight was uneventful until the landing roll on runway 21L. After a three-point touchdown, the airplane began to veer to the left at about a 10-degree angle. The pilot attempted to correct the turn by applying right brake with the yoke in the full aft position. The airplane continued to turn left, leaving the runway and striking a runway sign, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing.
Post accident examination of the left main wheel and brake assembly revealed that when the rudder pedals reached full travel, the linkage was beginning to push the brake master cylinder's piston. This resulted in brake application. The amount of brake application was not consistent and it was not noticeably applied every time it was tested. Any pressure applied to the brake in this position did not bleed off with release of the brake pedal. The right brake was not examined since the brake line had been cut during aircraft recovery.
The aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Prescott indicated winds at the time of the accident were from 010 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1252W
- Reported as
- Waco SRE
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5153
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-98514B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William G. Nutting
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 7, 2002 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Airport
- PRC · Prescott Love Field, runway 21L, 7,550 × 150 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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 3, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,141 total · 3 in this make and model · 4,933 as pilot in command · 73 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- PRC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 26, 2004, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 955 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1252W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.