Coleman LANCAIR IV P N124KM

Summary

On 12 August 1999 at about 18:34 local time, a Coleman LANCAIR IV P registered N124KM was involved in an accident near Aspen, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1999 at 18:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Aspen, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Aspen-Pitkin County (ASE)

Coordinates

37.3496, -108.5706

Aircraft

Coleman LANCAIR IV P

Registration

N124KM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Goodland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99LA144

Nobody was injured.

A failure of the right landing gear's brake system. Factors were the improper touchdown point attained by the pilot, the existing weather conditions that included a tailwind and high density altitude, and the rocky ditch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the pilot's second landing attempt, the aircraft touched down near taxiway A2, 1,800 feet down the 7,004 foot runway. The airplane then failed to stop, and departed the end of the runway slightly left of the centerline into a grassy, rocky ditch. The pilot stated that after allowing the nose wheel to settle onto the runway, he applied brake pressure and the right brake appeared soft. He was not able to initiate a go-around due to the high density altitude (calculated to be 9,828 ft. mean sea level), and limited remaining runway. According to a mechanic employed at the airport, he observed a red fluid running down the right gear strut following the accident. A functional brake test of the right brake was performed, and it was confirmed that the right brake was 'soft.' The wind at the time the pilot landed was from 300 degrees at 10 knots. The airport normally directs traffic to land on runway 15 due to mountainous terrain, despite existing wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.