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A YAK52's air operated brakes malfunctioned and applied both brakes when only one was pressed causing a steering problem. The pilot added power to make rudder turn and when the aircraft suddenly stopped the propeller struck the taxiway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 895817 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201006 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Taxi |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Normal Brake System |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Glider |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 28 Flight Crew Total 1650 Flight Crew Type 850 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft |
Narrative:
Was lead in a 3 ship training flight. [I] began taxi to active runway. Pulled out of parking area in right turn - noticed that I had to use extra effort applying right brake to get into right turn. From ramp area initiated a left turn onto the taxiway. No problems in making left turn. Once on the taxiway began to counter left turn with right brake (this is a tail wheel aircraft with free castering tail wheel so all steering is with rudder and differential braking). There was no response to right brake input. [I] began to pump brake input to effect braking but no response. Added slight power to use rudder and again applied brake input. No response to the right although the plane was actually slowing as I believe what was happening is that both brakes were being actuated even though I only had right brake selected. I attempted once more to get a right turn by applying full right brake but this time plane lurched to a full stop. With the sudden lurch and the fact that there was power applied the momentum lifted tail to the point where prop struck the pavement. As the tail came up to a point that was higher than I had ever experience I pulled the power off. Unfortunately the momentum was too great to arrest the inertia. The prop is wood laminate composite. About 10' of each blade was ground off. Nothing but toothpick sized debris was noted. I shut down all aircraft systems and exited the aircraft. There were no injuries or damage to any other property. Aircraft was pushed off the taxiway and into a vacant hangar. Error in judgment was not aborting flight sooner. [I] was not fully convinced of the problem or the potential for brake failure. Since I was able to make initial right turn I was trying attempt a second turn. In analyzing situation it is clear that right brake input was not isolating right actuator and that in reality both left and right actuators were being operated (brake operation is by compressed air). In further analysis; I believe I was anxious to continue flight as there was a 4 ship flight behind me as well.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A YAK52's air operated brakes malfunctioned and applied both brakes when only one was pressed causing a steering problem. The pilot added power to make rudder turn and when the aircraft suddenly stopped the propeller struck the taxiway.
Narrative: Was lead in a 3 ship training flight. [I] began taxi to active runway. Pulled out of parking area in right turn - noticed that I had to use extra effort applying right brake to get into right turn. From ramp area initiated a left turn onto the taxiway. No problems in making left turn. Once on the taxiway began to counter left turn with right brake (this is a tail wheel aircraft with free castering tail wheel so all steering is with rudder and differential braking). There was no response to right brake input. [I] began to pump brake input to effect braking but no response. Added slight power to use rudder and again applied brake input. No response to the right although the plane was actually slowing as I believe what was happening is that both brakes were being actuated even though I only had right brake selected. I attempted once more to get a right turn by applying full right brake but this time plane lurched to a full stop. With the sudden lurch and the fact that there was power applied the momentum lifted tail to the point where prop struck the pavement. As the tail came up to a point that was higher than I had ever experience I pulled the power off. Unfortunately the momentum was too great to arrest the inertia. The prop is wood laminate composite. About 10' of each blade was ground off. Nothing but toothpick sized debris was noted. I shut down all aircraft systems and exited the aircraft. There were no injuries or damage to any other property. Aircraft was pushed off the taxiway and into a vacant hangar. Error in judgment was not aborting flight sooner. [I] was not fully convinced of the problem or the potential for brake failure. Since I was able to make initial right turn I was trying attempt a second turn. In analyzing situation it is clear that right brake input was not isolating right actuator and that in reality both left and right actuators were being operated (brake operation is by compressed air). In further analysis; I believe I was anxious to continue flight as there was a 4 ship flight behind me as well.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.