Steamboat Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487
Saturday, May 12, 2012 12:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that during the landing roll in the experimental kit-built airplane, the left wheel brake locked, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The left landing gear dug into the soft dirt and the airplane nosed over. The pilot/owner/builder disassembled both brake master cylinders and the parking brake valve without federal oversight and found no foreign material or operating problems with the master cylinder or parking valve. The variance of 0.009 inches in the dowel pin length documented by the pilot/owner/builder was explained by standard manufacturing procedures used to achieve near simultaneous operation of the valve between the left and right sides of the parking brake. Functional testing of the parking brake valve revealed no anomalies. Due to the disassembly of the parking brake valve and parking brake assembly without federal oversight, investigators were unable to determine their condition on the airplane at the time of the accident. Accordingly, the cause of the locked left brake could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A locked left brake for reasons that could not be determined because independent observations of the postaccident condition of the airplane could not be performed, and the pilot’s subsequent loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Steamboat Springs
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80487
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403058N
Event Location Longitude 1065158W
Event Location Airport Steamboat Springs Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KSBS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6882
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1211 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KSBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6882
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.23
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KSBS 121811Z AUTO 12005KT 10SM SCT075 SCT095
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30824
NTSB Notification Source FAA ANM ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 14 2012 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N223DH
NTSB Number CEN12LA298
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 POOL
Aircraft Model MURPHY MOOSE
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 223SR
Certified Max Gross Weight 3500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 187
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name POOL HAP
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City VAIL
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81657-4437
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name POOL HAP
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City VAIL
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 81657-4437
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 KEGE
Departure City Eagle
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KSBS
Destination City Steamboat Springs
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 13 2012 5:41PM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 4452
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --