Blakely, GA, USA
N9890P
Piper PA-25-235
The pilot had flown to a nearby field to apply fertilizer but elected to return to the airstrip behind his home due to thunderstorm activity in the immediate vicinity of the planned spray operation. Upon arriving at the home airstrip, the pilot established an approach to land on runway 15. After touchdown, the pilot reported that he applied both brakes to stop the airplane. During the braking action the right brake suddenly failed. He stated he was unable to stop the airplane with the left brake. With approximately 800 feet of runway surface remaining, the pilot elected to abort the landing and chose to take off. During the attempted takeoff, the airplane cleared a fence and flew under power lines. The airplane collided with trees approximately 500 feet from the runway as the pilot maneuvered to avoid a collision with his home. After the airplane collided with the trees, it rolled inverted, fell to the ground, and burst into flames. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed that the airframe sustained extensive fire damage. Reportedly, the fire destroyed the right wheel brake assembly and it was not functionally examined. According to Piper 25-235 performance data, at the landing and stall speed of 46 mph, the landing roll at gross weight is about 850 feet.
On June 5, 2001, at 1745 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N9890P, collided with the ground and burst into flames while attempting a climb out from an aborted landing in Blakely, Georgia. The aerial application flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot received serious injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The exact departure time of the flight from Blakely, Georgia, was not determined. According to the pilot, he had flown to a nearby field to apply fertilizer and was returning to the airstrip behind his home due to thunderstorm activity in the immediate vicinity of the planned spray operation. The airplane was loaded with 1,000 pounds of fertilizer. Upon arriving at the home airstrip, the pilot established an approach to land on runway 15. After touchdown, the pilot reported that he applied both brakes to stop the airplane. During the braking action the right brake suddenly failed. He stated he was unable to stop the airplane with the left brake. With approximately 800 feet of runway surface remaining, the pilot elected to abort the landing and chose to take off. During the attempted takeoff, the airplane cleared a fence and flew under power lines. However, the airplane collided with trees approximately 500 feet from the runway as the pilot maneuvered to avoid a collision with his home. After the airplane collided with the trees, it rolled inverted, fell to the ground, and burst into flames. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed that the airframe sustained extensive fire damage. Reportedly, the fire destroyed the right wheel brake assembly and it was not functionally examined. According to Piper 25-235 performance data, at the landing and stall speed of 46 mph, the landing roll at gross weight is about 850 feet.
The pilot's inadequate in-flight decision to go-around after a reported loss of right brake pressure during the landing roll resulted in the in-flight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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