Dragging brake on small aircraft forces runway excursion.

Attributes
ACN	150959
Time
Date	199007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfl
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : boi
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 265
ASRS Report	150959
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After T/D on runway 1 at gfl, I applied brakes. On first brake application the left brake stuck causing the aircraft to veer sharply left into the grass on west side of runway 1. Aircraft rolled to stop. I taxied to tie down. A and P mechanic inspected plane. Found left brake relief valve stuck meaning that after release of brake pedals, left brake remained locked. A and P mechanic also stated that o-ring and master cylinder needed replacement, as did relief valve. I returned to my home airport and landed west/O incident using no brakes. This aircraft is a flight school plane used by many primary students, most of whom I feel would not have been able to recover the aircraft in this instance. The maintenance work is signed off by an a and P but is not routinely performed by aim. Perhaps if the a and P had been performing the work himself (the aircraft has recently had the brakes rebuilt) this would have been avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DRAGGING BRAKE ON SMA FORCES RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: AFTER T/D ON RWY 1 AT GFL, I APPLIED BRAKES. ON FIRST BRAKE APPLICATION THE L BRAKE STUCK CAUSING THE ACFT TO VEER SHARPLY L INTO THE GRASS ON W SIDE OF RWY 1. ACFT ROLLED TO STOP. I TAXIED TO TIE DOWN. A AND P MECH INSPECTED PLANE. FOUND L BRAKE RELIEF VALVE STUCK MEANING THAT AFTER RELEASE OF BRAKE PEDALS, L BRAKE REMAINED LOCKED. A AND P MECH ALSO STATED THAT O-RING AND MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AS DID RELIEF VALVE. I RETURNED TO MY HOME ARPT AND LANDED W/O INCIDENT USING NO BRAKES. THIS ACFT IS A FLT SCHOOL PLANE USED BY MANY PRIMARY STUDENTS, MOST OF WHOM I FEEL WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER THE ACFT IN THIS INSTANCE. THE MAINT WORK IS SIGNED OFF BY AN A AND P BUT IS NOT ROUTINELY PERFORMED BY AIM. PERHAPS IF THE A AND P HAD BEEN PERFORMING THE WORK HIMSELF (THE ACFT HAS RECENTLY HAD THE BRAKES REBUILT) THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.