The flight instructor reported that, after conducting a preflight inspection, they taxied the Cessna 182K to Runway 17 at the airport in Tooele, Utah, for a local instructional flight.
While approaching the end of the taxiway, the student pilot reduced engine power to idle and applied the brakes, but the airplane did not respond.
The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and applied the brakes, but the airplane still did not respond.
While the flight instructor was attempting to mitigate the situation with the parking brake handle and rudder, the airplane exited the right side of the taxiway and hit a ditch.
Post-accident examination showed bending of the right horizontal stabilizer as well as bending of the right elevator about midspan.
Examination of the airplane’s brake system revealed that, when the brakes were activated using the rudder pedals, no resistance or pressure was felt on both sets of rudder pedals. Both brake master cylinders were void of fluid, and a liquid consistent with brake fluid was observed leaking from both main landing gear brake caliper O-ring seals.
The left and right brake calipers were removed and disassembled. Both O-ring seals were flattened, consistent with excessive use and wear.
According to the mechanic, the flattened O-ring seals prevented the proper seal within the brake calipers, resulting in brake fluid leaking.
A review of the airplane’s maintenance records did not show that any maintenance had been performed on the brake calipers.
Probable Cause: Loss of brake pressure to both sets of brakes during taxi due to failed brake caliper O-ring seals, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
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This August 2022 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The first thing I was taught to do when starting to taxi on the ramp is give slight brief power to start the roll then apply the brakes evenly to make sure the plane stops. If you have dual brakes the instructor/passenger does the same thing. There are other checks on the ramp as well but this is what I do for the brake check.
So what happened to the passengers? The. Student and instructor?? Did they survive did they recieve any injuries major or minor ? Like what happened finished telling the story man no type of skills in writing or story telling what so ever completely misdirected the readers making us believe we were reading about a plane crash not a plane brake malfunction. Seriously Bob you don’t got to lie to kick it man.
Seems to me if a mag check was accomplished the brakes had to be applied and aircraft movement would be noticed at full RPM?? Thus indicate a brake problem?
It didn’t crash, it ran into a ditch.
NEED TO INSPECT BEFORE FLYIN ANY AIR CRAFT CHECK ALL FUCTIONS BEFORE U FLY THAT WILL CURE THIS PROBLEM NO MORE DEATH FROM AIR CRAFTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Things don’t fail while the aircraft is in the hangar.! [ unless something failed during the previous flight and the pilot didn’t notice it ].
Parts will typically fail as they are being used.
So, maybe a couple of brake checks while taxiing slowly along a section of taxiway.
I do a couple of mag checks while taxiing before I get to the run up area.
My taxi is 1 nm and I’ve done a run up only to find a dead mag, and then taxi another 1 nm back to my hangar..
They didn’t get to the run up area when the brakes failed , and rolled off the taxiway.
Come on, GAN…
“While the flight instructor was attempting to mitigate the situation with the parking brake handle and rudder, the airplane exited the right side of the taxiway and hit a ditch.”
Ergo…
“Plane CRASHES When Brakes Fail” ???
How about:
“Plane Goes Three-Wheelin’ After Brakes Fail During Slow Speed Taxi”…
Having swung wrenches on Cessna aircraft since 1971, I know whereof I speak. In the picture of this subject C182, it’s difficult to tell which type of wheelpants are installed, but they certainly aren’t of the original design. To the best of my recollection, from 1967 through at least 1972, Cessna series 100 aircraft main gear wheel pants were made of fiberglas, and did not cover the brake wheel cylinders at all. The entire cylinder, and both brake linings could easily be seen. In about 1974, the wheel pants were changed in design and were made of a thicker plastic-type material, and extended lower over the wheel, which made a visual inspection of the outer (anvil) brake lining nearly impossible without removing the wheel pant. At that time, or possibly a bit later, a “spat” was added to fair the wheel pant to the main gear leg fairing, which covered the entire brake cylinder. This made it impossible to preflight the cylinder and brake lining without an inspection mirror and a good light….not a good change as far as safety is concerned.
With regards to this post-accident report, it was noted that both brake master cylinders were found empty. There was no mention about the brake lining or rotor condition. And, as this aircraft was being used for pilot training, it would have been subject to 100 hour inspections. For full master cylinders to be found empty, there either had to have been massive fluid leaks, shoddy maintenance, or both! I find it incredible that the flight instructor had found both brakes to be effective and safe before takeoff, then have total brake failure during the very next landing! As for discovering “flat” brake piston o-rings during the post-accident inspection, this condition could not have occurred in recent history. I feel that these wheel cylinders hadn’t been removed, cleaned, inspected and revealed for a very long time! No mention of brake lining, rotor or wheel cylinder condition was noted in the report. Neglected maintenance leads to corroded and pitted wheel cylinder bores, which “eats” o-rings! In short, there is no excuse whatsoever for the condition of these brakes!
Aircraft is owned by the student. 100hr inspections not required.
I’ve owned 29 cars since my youth and taken most of them to very high mileage and done my own brake jobs. I have never seen or heard of flattened O-rings in my calipers. There’s something rotten in Denmark going on here with this plane and set of brakes. You folks ever heard of this failure before?
Regards/J
Running your finger along the bottom of the caliper mechanism will find even the smallest leak.
There is a relatively simple solution for a lack of visibility within wheel pants for aircraft so equipped. A 2″ folding inspection mirror and small LED flashlight can be had inexpensively. Have a competent A&P mechanic instruct you on what to look for and have him/her give a couple tips on how to use the flashlight/mirror combination to accomplish a preflight inspection. The issue of leaking brake calipers failing mid-taxi can be avoided this way.
As far as I know, Cessna Left and Right Brakes are two entirely separate systems. Both cannot fail at the same time. Please correct me if I am wrong.
But there’s only one hydraulic fluid line at each wheel. A problem there would affect both pilot positions.
Pre inspection should of been seen in the brake fluid container under the hood inspection it would show that brake. Fluid was low, as a pilot from back in the day that check was mandatory but issues happen that are unforseen cause I had a brake line issue that didn’t show up till I landed and had no brake on right side of aircraft was able to get it to hanger and it was repaired, but tricky getting it to hanger after landing, killed power by shutting down engine and used rudder to stear aircraft to hanger but kept speed real slow so not to have any issues!
The Cessna brake master cylinders, with the integral reservoirs, are located forward of the rudder pedals and are very difficult to see and service.
The aircraft was owned by the student pilot, so it was on him to ensure that the aircraft was airworthy and a completed annual inspection, which does include the brake system.
The FAA should implement new brake check laws, one of those laws being a certain kind of examination being mandated according to age and or the amount of hours of flight. Less mechanical assumption beween flight, increasing the safety and value of humanity abroad.
The pilot’s report indicated standard procedures were followed and no problems with the pre-flight and brake check when starting the taxi. But generally speaking as an unrelated takeaway, I think wheel pants can be a hazard to completing the pre-flight. They definitely prevent a detailed inspection of the brakes, and maybe could block lighting in such a way that it is hard to distinguish a leakage. Extra precaution is needed when wheel covers are installed.
Cessna wheel pants usually do not cover the inboard area around the brake caliper.
But some speed mods do put a cover over the caliper. The nose gear had a ‘speed spat’, so maybe the calipers were covered as well.?
Even then, it should be obvious to see a puddle/ stain of brake fluid on the ground where the aircraft is parked…. maybe not so easily if it’s parked on asphalt.?