N3021Z

On April 14, 2001, at 0930 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, N3021Z, collided with the terrain and nosed over following a loss of brake pressure while taxing for takeoff at the East Kansas City Airport, Grain Valley, Missouri. The private pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported he was back-taxiing on runway 27 when the accident occurred. He reported that the brakes did not work when he applied them to slow the airplane in order to turn around for takeoff. The airplane traveled off the side of the runway and continued downhill into a ditch where it rolled onto the right wing.

The pilot stated that he applied the parking brake when the airplane was being fueled and the brakes worked properly at that time. In addition, he reported the brakes functioned normally when he performed the engine run-up. Inspection revealed that there was no brake fluid found on the hangar floor where the airplane was kept, nor was there any found along the taxi route used by the airplane.

An Airworthiness Inspector from the Kansas City, Missouri, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office inspected the airplane after the accident. The inspector reported that he disassembled the master brake cylinder and appeared to be in working order with no leaks. He reported that he was unable to determine any mechanical reason as to why the brakes would not have functioned.

The airplane was placarded in accordance with Airworthiness Directive 85-02-05 R1. The placard states, "NO BRAKING WILL OCCUR IF AIRCRAFT BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE IS PULLED AND HELD."

The FAA inspector stated that it is possible for the brake pressure to bleed off enough for the airplane to operate with the parking brake applied.