Lakeland Linder Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeland, Florida 33801
Thursday, February 15, 2001 10:59 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that as he taxied for takeoff, the left brake grabbed. Upon reaching the end of the runway, the left brake was still grabbing and he elected to return to the maintenance company where he had picked up the airplane. During taxi back to the maintenance company the brakes failed and he continued to taxi using the "emergency brake." As he approached the ramp, he smelled smoke and shutdown the engine. A tire blew out and as he exited the airplane, the other tire blew out. He saw both main landing gear tires were on fire. Personnel from the maintenance company extinguished the fire. A mechanic stated that when he looked in the airplane after the accident, the parking brake was pulled on about 3/4. The mechanic stated that when he disassembled the brakes after the accident, he found no discrepancies that would have caused the brakes to drag.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to disengage the parking brake prior to taxi and his failure to stop and investigate the brakes when they malfunctioned during taxi for takeoff resulting in the wheel brakes heating and starting the tires on fire.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/2001
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1059
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Lakeland
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33801
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 275920N
Event Location Longitude 0820107W
Event Location Airport Lakeland Linder Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAL
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1110 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
Density Altitude (feet) 700
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10300
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL. Comm. Center
NTSB Notification Date Feb 15 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1741
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15635
NTSB Number MIA01LA079
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7340054
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2549
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dale Grinstead
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12440 Highway A1A
Aircraft Owner City Vero Beach
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32963
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LAL
Departure City Lakeland
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VRB
Destination City Vero Beach
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jul 6 2001 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record PREJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --