Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the brake system during the landing roll. An intentional ground loop and a dirt bank were factors.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On March 28, 2002, approximately 1515 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-22 airplane, N1810P, was substantially damaged after the aircraft ran off the runway at Friday Harbor, Washington. The private pilot, who owned the airplane and was its sole occupant at the time, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at Friday Harbor at 1453, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 16. The aircraft touched down and during the landing roll, the pilot applied the brake to make the airplane turn to the right. The pilot stated that the right brake did not hold and the aircraft veered to the left. The pilot could not get the airplane to turn back to the right and seeing that the airplane was traveling toward a bank, he applied hard left brake and intentionally ground-looped the aircraft. During the ground loop maneuver, the right wing was substantially damaged.
Friday Harbor has a single, paved north-south runway, 16-34, 3,400 feet long and 75 feet wide. Winds at Friday Harbor were reported as being from 250 degrees true at 6 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA02LA061