WPR18LA037

The pilot reported that the engine surged during an attempted takeoff, and she aborted the takeoff. She let the engine idle for about 5 minutes and then attempted another takeoff. However, the engine surged again. The pilot applied the brakes and aborted the second takeoff. As the pilot was trying to determine the problem and was planning to taxi back to the hangar, the airplane started rolling across the runway and the pilot lost braking capability. The airplane rolled across and off the runway into a ditch. The brakes caught fire which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that the airplane was at its maximum gross weight at the time of the accident. The pilot operating handbook for the accident airplane stated that after heavy braking, especially when the airplane is near gross weight, the pilot should allow the brakes to cool for about 20 minutes before additional heavy braking, as the brakes may overheat. It is likely that due to insufficient time to allow the brakes to cool, during the second aborted takeoff sequence, the brakes overheated, which resulted in a brake fire and led to the pilot's loss of braking capability.

On November 27, 2017, about 1130 mountain standard time, a Columbia LC41-550FG airplane, N2526C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Oro Valley, Arizona. The pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, during an attempted takeoff at La Cholla Airpark (57AZ), Oro Valley, Arizona, the engine surged and she aborted the takeoff. She let the engine idle for about 5 minutes and then attempted another takeoff. However, the engine surged again. The pilot stated that she applied the brakes and aborted the second takeoff. As she was about to return to the hangar, she lost braking capability, the airplane rolled off the runway into a ditch, and she saw flames when she looked out. The fire substantially damaged the right wing and fuselage. The passenger stated that the brakes caught fire during taxi after the second aborted takeoff, and the brake lines burned through during the fire. The pilot reported that the airplane's weight at the time of the accident was 3,600 lbs, which is the airplane’s maximum gross weight. The Columbia 400 (LC41-550FG) Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Section 4, Normal Procedures, states that "After heavy braking, especially when the airplane is near gross weight, allow the brakes to cool for about 20 minutes before additional heavy braking. The brakes may overheat if there is repeated heavy braking without adequate cooling time."