Flight crew makes normal landing with normal brakes on left side inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	297706
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bgm
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bgm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	297706
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	297527
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During landing checklist on ILS 34 into bgm, the first officer and I discovered we had no left brake indication when I pushed the left brake pedal. Right brake indication was normal when right brake pedal was pushed. After a brief discussion with my first officer plus consulting the quick reference handbook. We decided to continue the approach and landing. The quick reference handbook 'said' normal landing distance was not affected and to use emergency/parking brake as necessary. Since I hardly ever use normal brakes on a landing, they are very touchy, and we had a 10 KT direct headwind, in our opinion landing distance would not be a problem and a normal landing could be made. We planned on notifying ATC when on the ground. The landing was normal and by using reverse I did not have to use brakes at all. I did try the left brake to verify it was not working. After clearing the runway we parked and shut the airplane down on the taxiway next to the runway and had the passenger deplane and bussed to the terminal. The plane was then towed to a hangar. No emergency was declared. Now, 2 days later and after thinking about it over and over, proper procedure would be to discontinue the approach and declare an emergency, just in case. It has been a learning experience.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MAKES NORMAL LNDG WITH NORMAL BRAKES ON L SIDE INOP.

Narrative: DURING LNDG CHKLIST ON ILS 34 INTO BGM, THE FO AND I DISCOVERED WE HAD NO L BRAKE INDICATION WHEN I PUSHED THE L BRAKE PEDAL. R BRAKE INDICATION WAS NORMAL WHEN R BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH MY FO PLUS CONSULTING THE QUICK REF HANDBOOK. WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE APCH AND LNDG. THE QUICK REF HANDBOOK 'SAID' NORMAL LNDG DISTANCE WAS NOT AFFECTED AND TO USE EMER/PARKING BRAKE AS NECESSARY. SINCE I HARDLY EVER USE NORMAL BRAKES ON A LNDG, THEY ARE VERY TOUCHY, AND WE HAD A 10 KT DIRECT HEADWIND, IN OUR OPINION LNDG DISTANCE WOULD NOT BE A PROB AND A NORMAL LNDG COULD BE MADE. WE PLANNED ON NOTIFYING ATC WHEN ON THE GND. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL AND BY USING REVERSE I DID NOT HAVE TO USE BRAKES AT ALL. I DID TRY THE L BRAKE TO VERIFY IT WAS NOT WORKING. AFTER CLRING THE RWY WE PARKED AND SHUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN ON THE TXWY NEXT TO THE RWY AND HAD THE PAX DEPLANE AND BUSSED TO THE TERMINAL. THE PLANE WAS THEN TOWED TO A HANGAR. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. NOW, 2 DAYS LATER AND AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT OVER AND OVER, PROPER PROC WOULD BE TO DISCONTINUE THE APCH AND DECLARE AN EMER, JUST IN CASE. IT HAS BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

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.