PA31 exits ramp taxiway into ditch having incurred brake failure.

Attributes
ACN	524103
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb.tower
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	PA-31P Navajo P
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	524103
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	excursion : ramp excursion : taxiway ground encounters other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Start up and taxi out to runway 14 were normal. Upon pwring up for departure, I felt the left brake pedal go to the floor. I reduced the power and aborted takeoff and exited the runway. Once on the taxiway, I was able to maintain a slow taxi speed. Just prior to making turn onto the ramp taxiway, my right brake failed. I shut off the engines. Without engines running, I made a turn onto the ramp and had to make a left turn to avoid a down hill ramp. At the end of the taxiway is a small drainage ditch. In making a turn at the end of the taxiway, the left main gear hit the ditch bringing the aircraft to a complete stop, with minor aircraft damage to the landing gear. All personnel exited the aircraft without injury.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 EXITS RAMP TXWY INTO DITCH HAVING INCURRED BRAKE FAILURE.

Narrative: START UP AND TAXI OUT TO RWY 14 WERE NORMAL. UPON PWRING UP FOR DEP, I FELT THE L BRAKE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR. I REDUCED THE PWR AND ABORTED TKOF AND EXITED THE RWY. ONCE ON THE TXWY, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN A SLOW TAXI SPD. JUST PRIOR TO MAKING TURN ONTO THE RAMP TXWY, MY R BRAKE FAILED. I SHUT OFF THE ENGS. WITHOUT ENGS RUNNING, I MADE A TURN ONTO THE RAMP AND HAD TO MAKE A L TURN TO AVOID A DOWN HILL RAMP. AT THE END OF THE TXWY IS A SMALL DRAINAGE DITCH. IN MAKING A TURN AT THE END OF THE TXWY, THE L MAIN GEAR HIT THE DITCH BRINGING THE ACFT TO A COMPLETE STOP, WITH MINOR ACFT DAMAGE TO THE LNDG GEAR. ALL PERSONNEL EXITED THE ACFT WITHOUT INJURY.

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.