Pilot of a C310 lost control of the aircraft while taxiing out for takeoff. Caused by left main whee...

Attributes
ACN	383496
Time
Date	199710
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mlb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	383496
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft was taxiing to the active. I began braking approximately 200 yards from the end of the taxiway to test the brakes and the stopping distance. Prior brake test before initial taxi was successful and brakes appeared to work fine. After the test the aircraft approached the end of the taxiway, I applied full brake pressure but the aircraft wouldn't stop. The aircraft exited the taxiway for a few feet when I applied asymmetric power and the aircraft returned to the taxiway. Right brake was operable. I was unable to return to the hangar via the taxiway because a left turn was impossible even with asymmetric thrust. So I called tower, alerted them of my situation and asked to taxi down the runway. I made it down the runway but could not make the intersection tower instructed me to make for 2 reasons: 1) I couldn't turn left hard enough to make the intersection. 2) there was a cessna blocking the intersection that I would be certain to hit if I had even made the turn. So I continued straight ahead, told tower that I was going to make a right 270 degree turn to clear the runway. I successfully cleared the runway, called tower to get a tug out to us and I secured the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C310 LOST CTL OF THE ACFT WHILE TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF. CAUSED BY L MAIN WHEEL BRAKE FAILURE RESULTING IN GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE TXWY. THE PLT RECOVERED CTL AND TAXIED BACK ONTO THE TXWY AND SUBSEQUENTLY, UNDER TWR CTL, REPOSITIONED THE ACFT OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER TFC TO WAIT FOR A TOW BACK TO THE HANGAR.

Narrative: ACFT WAS TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE. I BEGAN BRAKING APPROX 200 YARDS FROM THE END OF THE TXWY TO TEST THE BRAKES AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE. PRIOR BRAKE TEST BEFORE INITIAL TAXI WAS SUCCESSFUL AND BRAKES APPEARED TO WORK FINE. AFTER THE TEST THE ACFT APCHED THE END OF THE TXWY, I APPLIED FULL BRAKE PRESSURE BUT THE ACFT WOULDN'T STOP. THE ACFT EXITED THE TXWY FOR A FEW FEET WHEN I APPLIED ASYMMETRIC PWR AND THE ACFT RETURNED TO THE TXWY. R BRAKE WAS OPERABLE. I WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE HANGAR VIA THE TXWY BECAUSE A L TURN WAS IMPOSSIBLE EVEN WITH ASYMMETRIC THRUST. SO I CALLED TWR, ALERTED THEM OF MY SIT AND ASKED TO TAXI DOWN THE RWY. I MADE IT DOWN THE RWY BUT COULD NOT MAKE THE INTXN TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE FOR 2 REASONS: 1) I COULDN'T TURN L HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE INTXN. 2) THERE WAS A CESSNA BLOCKING THE INTXN THAT I WOULD BE CERTAIN TO HIT IF I HAD EVEN MADE THE TURN. SO I CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD, TOLD TWR THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE A R 270 DEG TURN TO CLR THE RWY. I SUCCESSFULLY CLRED THE RWY, CALLED TWR TO GET A TUG OUT TO US AND I SECURED THE ACFT.

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.