N419MK

On September 30, 1996, approximately 1240 mountain daylight time, an Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 Westwind Astra, N419MK, was substantially damaged when it collided with two taxiway signs and a runway light during its landing roll at Aspen Colorado. The pilot, copilot, and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Chicago, Illinois, on September 30, 1996, approximately 1130 central daylight time.

According to the pilot, the landing was normal. The brake antiskid system was engaged. Normal braking action decelerated the airplane to 90 kias (knots indicated airspeed), then the airplane began drifting left of the runway centerline. Differential braking, full right rudder, and the use of nose wheel steering failed to correct the track. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. The aircraft then struck a second taxiway sign, the nose landing gear was sheared off, and its strut penetrated the pressure vessel.

The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was recovered from the airplane and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's CVR laboratory in Washington, DC, for examination and readout. The CVR specialist reported that although the tape recording was of good quality, no definitive information was obtained.

Temporary repairs were made to the airplane so that it could be ferried to Denver, Colorado, where permanent repairs would be made. When electrical power was applied in preparation for the ferry flight, the right brake antiskid light illuminated. The brake antiskid system was then engaged. During a high speed taxi test, it was noted the antiskid light remained illuminated. The pilot applied brakes and confirmed that the right brake was inoperative. The pilot deactivated the brake antiskid system, applied brakes, and found the brakes operated properly. Post test examination disclosed the right inboard antiskid generator canon plug was corroded. It was the opinion of Westwind Astra engineers and the airplane operator that this corrosion caused the brake antiskid system to falsely sense a locked right brake and automatically released it. They surmised that when brakes were applied during the landing roll, only the left brake engaged, causing the airplane to drift off the left side of the runway.