WPR24LA141

The airplane’s collision with a tree during an aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s reported brake malfunction for undetermined reasons.

According to the pilot, he conducted an extensive preflight inspection and brake check, and he used the brakes multiple times while taxiing to the runup area and the runway. He reported that the brakes appeared to function properly. The airplane departed and later landed on a backcountry dirt airstrip. The pilot stated that the approach and touchdown speeds were appropriate, and the airplane touched down within the first few feet of the runway threshold. During the landing roll, however, the brakes did not respond to either the leftseat or rightseat brake pedals when the toe brakes were applied. The pilot subsequently applied full power, the student pilot selected 10° of flaps, and the pilot initiated a goaround. The airplane began to climb but collided with a cedar tree and then impacted the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s brake system revealed damage consistent with impact forces during the airplane’s collision with a tree and subsequent impact with terrain. A functional examination of the brake system did not reveal any evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Due to the extent of the impact damage sustained to the airplane’s main landing gear and brake system, the nature of the malfunction was undetermined.

On May 2, 2024, about 1602 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T206H airplane, N50101, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Halls Crossing, Utah. The pilot and student pilot were not injured. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, before departing on a cross-country flight to the Nokai Dome backcountry airstrip, he performed an extensive preflight inspection, and that a visual inspection of the brakes indicated no anomalies. He stated that, during the pre-taxi brake check and when using the brakes during taxi, “the brakes worked perfectly.” After departure, he flew to his intended backcountry airstrip, set up an approach for runway 24, and observed a direct headwind. The pilot reported that the approach to landing was perfect, and the airplane touched down smoothly within the first few feet of the start of the dirt landing surface. During the landing roll, the pilot applied brakes but noticed no braking action and “both the right and left brake failed.” The student pilot, who was seated in the right seat, applied the brakes with no resulting effect, and the pilot decided to abort the landing. The pilot stated that, with 10° of flaps selected and the application of full throttle, the airplane began to climb; however, it struck an approximately 8-ft-tall tree and subsequently impacted terrain about 280 ft beyond the departure end of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing aileron, the horizontal stabilizer, and the elevator. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed impact damage to the left main landing gear outer wheel half and the bearing assembly, but the brake assembly remained intact and operational. The right main landing gear spring sustained impact damage and separated from the lower fuselage channel. The right wheel separated from the spring and sustained impact damage to each of the four axle attachment bolts. The hydraulic fluid line separated from the brake cylinder at the inlet fitting. Due to the damage to the right main landing gear, the functional test of the brake system was segmented and revealed no anomalies. No preexisting condition was identified that would have precluded the normal operation of the brake system.