Friedman Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hailey, Idaho 83313
Sunday, July 6, 2008 12:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was designed to use differential braking for directional control while taxiing. The pilot reported that while taxiing for departure, the right brake failed. Subsequently, the airplane departed the left side of the taxiway, impacted a pole and went down an embankment, striking an airport perimeter fence. The left composite wing tip was split open and the wing's leading edge had an 8- to 10-inch chordwise rip in it. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found that the right brake O-ring in the piston that operates the caliper was hard and flat. When brake fluid was put in the system and the brakes were pumped, the brake fluid was observed to pass directly through the right-hand caliper onto the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of directional control while taxiing due to the failure of the right brake.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Hailey
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83313
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433014N
Event Location Longitude 1141744W
Event Location Airport Friedman Memorial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUN
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 5318
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SUN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5318
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 25312
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2009 3:48PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boise, ID

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2544W
NTSB Number LAX08LA217
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 LANCAIR COMPANY
Aircraft Model LC41-550FG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 41530
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 46
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name MCCORMICK ENTERPRISES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8250 W FAIRVIEW AVE
Aircraft Owner City BOISE
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83704-8313
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MCCORMICK ENTERPRISES INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 8250 W FAIRVIEW AVE
Operator City BOISE
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83704-8313
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 SUN
Departure City Hailey
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BOI
Destination City Boise
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - to takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2009 3:46PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --