Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Weltzien Skypark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wadsworth, Ohio 44281
Saturday, October 8, 2011 13:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that, prior to the flight, he noted no anomalies with the airplane or its braking system. After touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes to slow the airplane to exit the runway, but the airplane did not slow down. The airplane then departed the runway surface and the right wing contacted the visual approach slope indicator system. The airplane came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left brake caliper was leaking hydraulic fluid; no fluid was found in the brake system’s reservoir. Hydraulic fluid was then added to the reservoir, and a leak was noticed at the brake caliper without any brake pressure being applied to the system. The brake caliper and brake plates were removed and the brake plates were found to be worn beyond service limits, which resulted in an overextension of the brake piston and failure of the piston seal. The failure of the piston seal resulted in the loss of hydraulic fluid.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the brake system during the landing roll, which was caused by a loss of hydraulic fluid as a result of a leak in the piston seal due to brake plates worn beyond their service limits.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/8/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1300 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wadsworth |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 44281 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410142N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0814754W |
| Event Location Airport | Weltzien Skypark Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 15G |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1210 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1210 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BJJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1136 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29336 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 1 2011 5:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | saua |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9444W |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA023 |
| 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-28-235 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-11163 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Mar 1 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4964 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ON FILE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | SEVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44273-0162 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | ON FILE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Clinton |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 44216 |
| 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 | PKB |
| Departure City | Parkersburg |
| Departure State | WV |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1215 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 15G |
| Destination City | Wadsworth |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 1 2011 10:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | saua |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 2410 |
| Runway Width | 37 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |