Primary finding
Probable cause
The malfunction of the braking system fluid line, which resulted in an overrun of the runway.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, during the landing roll as he applied the brakes, he observed they felt “very soft.” As he continued to apply full pressure, he experienced a very low deceleration rate. He continued to pump the brakes with minimum results and executed turns to attempt to slow the airplane down. The airplane continued to roll and exited the runway before colliding with an embankment. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. An examination of the braking system revealed that a brake line under the floorboard was leaking hydraulic fluid. Given this information, it is likely that the degraded braking action the pilot reported during the landing was the result of the leaking brake line.