Summary
On November 17, 2019, a Piper PA32 (N5909V) was involved in an accident near Venice, FL. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard. The aircraft was destroyed.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: A stuck brake caliper, which overheated while the pilot was taxiing the airplane, caught fire, and subsequently destroyed the airplane.
The airline transport-rated pilot taxied the airplane .5 miles to the hold-short line at the departure runway, where he intended to complete an engine run-up. According to the pilot, the right brake "didn't feel right" as he approached the hold-short line, so he completed a 360° turn to "test the brakes at a higher than normal speed." During the turn, smoke and then fire was seen coming from beneath the airplane. Once the airplane was stopped, the pilot and his passenger smelled smoke and then saw the smoke and fire. After the pilot and passenger safely egressed the cockpit, the airplane was destroyed by fire. The pilot stated that he thought the brake caliper was stuck, and while he expected the caliper to be smoking, he had not anticipated the fire.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA20CA036. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5909V.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A stuck brake caliper, which overheated while the pilot was taxiing the airplane, caught fire, and subsequently destroyed the airplane.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The airline transport-rated pilot taxied the airplane .5 miles to the hold-short line at the departure runway, where he intended to complete an engine run-up. According to the pilot, the right brake "didn't feel right" as he approached the hold-short line, so he completed a 360° turn to "test the brakes at a higher than normal speed." During the turn, smoke and then fire was seen coming from beneath the airplane. Once the airplane was stopped, the pilot and his passenger smelled smoke and then saw the smoke and fire. After the pilot and passenger safely egressed the cockpit, the airplane was destroyed by fire. The pilot stated that he thought the brake caliper was stuck, and while he expected the caliper to be smoking, he had not anticipated the fire.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA20CA036