Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plummer, Idaho 83851
Saturday, April 19, 2003 17:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the last part of the landing roll, as the pilot was applying the brakes, the left main gear brake locked up, resulting in the tailwheel-equipped aircraft pulling hard to the left. As he tried to bring the aircraft to a stop, it nosed over onto its back. It was ultimately determined that the parking brake lock activation tab on the left brake master cylinder became stuck on the master cylinder plunger rod, resulting in a situation where the pilot was unable to reduce braking pressure on the left side. A further inspection of the system revealed that there was a burr on the master cylinder shaft. When the left brake was applied and then released, the burr lifted the parking brake locking tab, through which the cylinder shaft passes, and the spring that should press the tab back down to the unlocked position was unable to do so. This resulted in the failure of the brake to release, and it therefore remained locked in whatever had been its most fully-applied position. The malfunction was able to be duplicated during a post-accident inspection/test of the system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The jamming of the left parking brake locking tab on a burr on the left brake master cylinder activation rod during the landing roll, resulting in the left brake becoming locked in a position where excessive braking was applied.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Plummer
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83851
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 472036N
Event Location Longitude 1165454W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 2800
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.12
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13730
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 19 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 23 2003 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N114MK
NTSB Number SEA03LA066
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Maule
Aircraft Model MX-7-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 10022C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 3 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 1166
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Kevin G. Griffin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Renton
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98056
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 No
Departure Airport Code S72
Departure City Saint Maries
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Plummer
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 29 2003 4:23PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 1500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --