# NTSB SEA03LA201: Cessna 172S, N3555L, Anacortes, WA, September 18, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 17, 2003, 19:35 local (Sep 18, 2003, 02:35 UTC) - Place: Anacortes, WA - Coordinates: 48.498889, -122.662223 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4989&lon=-122.6622&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58288 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA03LA201 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58288/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA201 ## Probable cause The pilot attempting to taxi the airplane with a known system deficiency. Factors include worn wheel brakes and a drainage ditch. ## Analysis The pilot reported he experienced a complete wheel brake failure while taxiing for takeoff. The pilot said that he applied brakes, with little response, as the airplane neared the end of the inclined taxiway. He reported that he was not able to stop the airplane, and it continued off the end of the taxiway. After exiting the taxiway, the airplane encountered rough uneven terrain and eventually came to rest, nose down, in a drainage ditch. In a written statement, the pilot reported that on the previous landing, the airplane "shuttered violently" when he applied wheel brakes during the landing roll. He stated that after parking the airplane he noticed brake fluid "dripping" from the area of the wheel brakes. The pilot also stated that after discovering the problem with the brakes, he contacted the operator of the airplane concerning the problem. The pilot reported that the operator instructed him to "...ferry the aircraft back to ORS [Orcas Island] for maintenance." In a written report dated November 20, 2003, the operator stated that the pilot advised him that only a small amount of brake fluid had leaked from the system. Post accident examination of the wheel brake components by an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the brake pads were worn beyond limits, which allowed the caliper seals (O-ring) to unseat resulting in a loss of brake fluid. ## Factual narrative On September 17, 2003, about 1935 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N3555L, sustained substantial damage during a taxiway overrun at the Anacortes Airport, Anacortes, Washington. The airplane is registered to Rugby Aviation of East Sound, Washington, and was being piloted by the private pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-county flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot, and the one passenger aboard the airplane were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the proposed flight to East Sound, Washington. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board IIC on November 3, the pilot reported he experienced a complete wheel brake failure while taxiing for takeoff. The pilot said that he applied brakes, with little response, as the airplane neared the end of the inclined taxiway. He reported that he was not able to stop the airplane, and it continued off the end of the taxiway. After exiting the taxiway, the airplane encountered rough uneven terrain and eventually came to rest, nose down, in a drainage ditch. In a written report dated November 3, 2004, the pilot stated that on the previous landing, the airplane "shuttered violently" when he applied wheel brakes during the landing roll. He stated that after parking the airplane he noticed brake fluid "dripping" from the area of the wheel brakes. In the written report, the pilot states that after discovering the problem with the brakes, he contacted the operator of the airplane. According to his report, the operator instructed the pilot to "...ferry the aircraft back to ORS [Orcas Island] for maintenance." In a written report dated November 20, 2003, the operator stated that the pilot advised him that only a small amount of brake fluid had leaked from the system. Post accident examination of the wheel brake components by an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the brake pads were worn beyond limits, which allowed the caliper seals (O-ring) to unseat resulting in a loss of brake fluid. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, taxi - landing gear,normal brake system - worn (contributing factor) - Overrun, taxi - operation with known deficiencies in equipment - attempted, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3555L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3555L), registered now, S/N 172S8865 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8865 - Airframe hours: 785 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Rugby Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 4, 2003, 85 hours before - Departed: ORS, EASTSOUND, WA - Destination: 74S, ANACORTES, WA - Airport: 74S, Anacortes, runway 18, 3,015 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 6, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 151 total, 132 in this make and model, 85 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: BVS, 20 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 20030917022419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030917022419A), Sep 17, 2003: Cessna 172S, Anacortes, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft N3555L was taxiing to the anacorters, WA. Runway 18, lost brakes and veered off into a ditch near the runway. No injuries to the pilot or… 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.