Piper Cheyenne Damaged in Ocean City Runway Overrun, Brake Failure Cited

A Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne sustained substantial damage after overrunning the runway at Ocean City Municipal Airport in Ocean City, New Jersey, on April 1. The incident occurred at about 4:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time while the aircraft was conducting an instrument flight rules positioning flight. The pilot and one passenger were not injured.

According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported braking became ineffective around 30 knots during the rollout on Runway 6. The aircraft continued past the end of the 2,972-foot runway before the right main landing gear collapsed on soft ground. The airplane subsequently spun 180 degrees and came to rest 30 feet beyond the pavement.

Investigators noted a discrepancy between the automated weather observation system report and actual windsock conditions. While the system indicated calm winds, the pilot observed a direct tailwind from 240 degrees at 15 knots after exiting the aircraft. The NTSB says the investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the braking failure and wind variance.