Birchwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Birchwood, Alaska 99577
Saturday, June 3, 2006 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot reported that he was taxiing for takeoff on a personal, cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR part 91, when the left brake locked. According to a witness, the pilot stated that he had serviced the brakes prior to taxiing. A mechanic repairing the airplane said he found that the left brake was over-serviced with fluid, and that the right brake linkage was improperly adjusted, leaving the left brake tight, and the right brake loose. The airplane sustained damage to its wings, wing spars, and horizontal stabilizer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper servicing/adjustment of the main landing gear brakes, which resulted in a locked brake and a loss of control while taxiing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/2006
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City Birchwood
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99577
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 612459N
Event Location Longitude 1493026W
Event Location Airport BIRCHWOOD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAVB
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 96
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 20699
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Jun 14 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7452J
NTSB Number ANC06LA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7452
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Aug 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4318
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Todd R Hoffman Charitable Trust
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sandy
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97055
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Jack Hoffman
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 PABV
Departure City Birchwood
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Sandy
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2006 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1L
Runway Length 4010
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --