Mesquite Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesquite, Nevada 89027
Tuesady, March 15, 2011 8:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the airplane had not been flown in several months, and during the preflight inspection, he found that the brake fluid reservoir was empty. He filled the reservoir and noted that the braking performance was good during taxi for takeoff. At the destination airport, the pilot chose to perform a practice short field landing. He immediately applied the brakes after touchdown but there was no braking action. He then vigorously pumped the brakes in an attempt to still make a short field landing. The right brake suddenly functioned, but the left brake remained inoperative. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway to the right as there was insufficient rudder effectiveness to straighten the airplane's tracking. The left wing impacted an airport perimeter fence damaging the wing and the lift strut. Additionally, the left main landing gear collapsed under the fuselage, and the right main landing gear splayed outward. The pilot stated that he could have easily made the midfield turnoff with no brakes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The malfunction of the brake system which led to the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Mesquite
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89027
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 364941N
Event Location Longitude 1140334W
Event Location Airport Mesquite Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 67L
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 1978
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 235
Weather Observation Facility ID VGT
Elevation of weather observation facility 2205
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28351
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 13 2011 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74291
NTSB Number WPR11CA165
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 14-13-2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1404
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2035
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Frank N. Partridge
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hayward
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94544
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Frank N. Partridge
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Hayward
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94544
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 AZ50
Departure City White Hills
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 67L
Destination City Mesquite
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2011 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 01
Runway Length 5121
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --