# NTSB WPR14LA050: Piper PA 46 350P, N60TM, Carefree, AZ, November 7, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 7, 2013, 12:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Carefree, AZ - Coordinates: 33.818054, -111.898056 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8181&lon=-111.8981&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: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88425 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88425/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88425 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA050 ## Probable cause The failure of the left brake master cylinder seal, which rendered the left brake inoperative during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: brake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 297 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/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: [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: [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: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the landing, he applied the brakes and that the left pedal subsequently hit the floor. He attempted to control the airplane with the right brake and left rudder, but, as the airplane slowed, the rudder became ineffective. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, struck a berm, and the nose landing gear collapsed. Postaccident examination of the airplane's left brake revealed that the left brake master cylinder seal had failed, which rendered the left brake inoperative. A review of the airplane maintenance records revealed that the brake master cylinders had recently been rebuilt and had accumulated about 40 service hours before the failure. ## Factual narrative On November 7, 2013, about 1245 mountain standard time, a Piper PA 46-350P airplane, N60TM, sustained substantial damage when the nose gear collapsed during landing at Sky Ranch at Carefree (18AZ), Carefree, Arizona. The airplane was registered to Thermo Dynamics Inc., Laughlin, Nevada, and was operated by the pilot as an instrument flight rules (IFR), personal cross-country flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination/accident airport, and an instrument flight plan was filed and opened. The flight departed Eagle, Colorado about 1025. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on November 18, the pilot stated that during the landing roll, he applied the brakes and the left pedal went to the floor. He attempted to control the airplane with the right brake and left rudder. As the airplane slowed, the rudder became ineffective and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The airplane struck a berm and the nose landing gear collapsed. During the accident, the engine firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane was three days out of an annual inspection, and the brake master cylinders had recently been rebuilt. During a subsequent examination of the airplane's left brake, overseen by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air safety inspector, it was determined that the left brake master cylinder seal had failed, rendering the left brake inoperative. According to an airplane maintenance logbook entry, the master brake cylinder had been rebuilt about 40 service hours prior to the failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: N60TM (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 46 350P (350P) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4622042 - Year built: 1989 - Airframe hours: 4196 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 SER 350 horsepower unknown - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 30, 2013 - Departed: EGE, EAGLE, CO - Destination: 18AZ, Carefree, AZ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: 18AZ, Sky Ranch At Carefree, runway 24, 4,037 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 27, 2012; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,665 total, 949 in this make and model, 2,618 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: KDVT, 25 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 20131107022949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131107022949A), Nov 7, 2013: Piper PA 46-350P, Carefree, AZ, Substantial damage. On November 07, 2013 at approximately 1325 mountain standard time, during landing at Carefree sky-ranch airport N60TM skidded off the right side of runway 24.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 3, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88425. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407896&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation FSDO (item 2, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408243&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20FSDO-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.