Frederick Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frederick, Oklahoma 73542
Tuesady, February 3, 1998 9:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 35-hour student pilot stated that he was aware that he was landing downwind, but feared that he might have lost visual contact with the airport due to the fog that was forming, if he had attempted to circle the airport to land on runway 3. The pilot reported the winds from 030 degrees at 15 knots and stated that he touched down midfield on the 4,800-foot runway. During the landing roll, he started to apply the wheel brakes as he approached the departure end of the runway. While applying brake pressure with the brake lever, the cable to the brakes snapped resulting in the total loss of braking action. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, and the nose wheel impacted a ridge/terrace in the wheat field adjacent to the airport. The 1961 model 'Colt' had accumulated a total of 1,715 airframe hours. According to the manufacturer's illustrated parts catalog, the failed cable assembly for the brake control, part number 40123-91, is a condition item without a specific replacement or retirement time. The cable separated at the point where it makes a sharp turn over a pulley (part number 11200-00).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of wheel brakes due to the failure of the brake actuating cable. A factor was the tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/3/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FREDERICK
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73542
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FREDERICK MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FDR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1233
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 39
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 7 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 10:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4654Z
NTSB Number FTW98LA124
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-108
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-108
Aircraft Serial Number 22-8177
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 30 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 1715
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JIMMY CRAIG RIPLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 615 SUNSET DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City FREDERICK
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73542
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FDR
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 4800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --