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PC6 pilot reports weak right brake during landing; causing a runway excursion and contact with a VASI light.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 903518 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201008 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Pilatus Turbo Porter PC6 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Landing |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Brake System |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 122 Flight Crew Total 4800 Flight Crew Type 26 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control Ground Excursion Runway |
Narrative:
After preflighting the airplane; five skydivers boarded and we proceeded to the run-up area where I cycled the propeller and did an overspeed check and brakes performed normally at that time. I lined up the airplane on the runway and went through the pre takeoff checklist; then departed climbing to 13;500 ft MSL where the skydivers exited. I returned to the airport; went through the landing checklist and flew a stabilized approach with a nice flare and perfect three-point touch down. The plane veered to the left and full right rudder and right brake would not straighten out the airplane so I applied brakes on both sides and was in the beta mode. While analyzing my problem I thought beta might be sufficient to slow down but the right brake stayed weak. I managed to turn only maybe five degrees to the right but unable to avoid the VASI light. I thought I hit it with the tire and pieces flew to the left and the right. My guess is that the piece that flew to the right impacted the lower left landing gear brace and made two dents. Once stopped there did not seem to be any damage. I again tried to turn to the right to get back to the runway but was unable to turn because the brake was mushy so I made a 270 degree left turn back to the runway since that brake worked. Once back on the runway I could steer either direction with rudder and got to the end of the runway. We then towed the airplane back into the hangar where the damage was observed. The right brake was still weak.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PC6 pilot reports weak right brake during landing; causing a runway excursion and contact with a VASI light.
Narrative: After preflighting the airplane; five skydivers boarded and we proceeded to the run-up area where I cycled the propeller and did an overspeed check and brakes performed normally at that time. I lined up the airplane on the runway and went through the pre takeoff checklist; then departed climbing to 13;500 FT MSL where the skydivers exited. I returned to the airport; went through the landing checklist and flew a stabilized approach with a nice flare and perfect three-point touch down. The plane veered to the left and full right rudder and right brake would not straighten out the airplane so I applied brakes on both sides and was in the Beta mode. While analyzing my problem I thought Beta might be sufficient to slow down but the right brake stayed weak. I managed to turn only maybe five degrees to the right but unable to avoid the VASI light. I thought I hit it with the tire and pieces flew to the left and the right. My guess is that the piece that flew to the right impacted the lower left landing gear brace and made two dents. Once stopped there did not seem to be any damage. I again tried to turn to the right to get back to the runway but was unable to turn because the brake was mushy so I made a 270 degree left turn back to the runway since that brake worked. Once back on the runway I could steer either direction with rudder and got to the end of the runway. We then towed the airplane back into the hangar where the damage was observed. The right brake was still weak.
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.