Maule MX-7-235 N114MK

Summary

On 20 April 2003 at about 00:15 local time, a Maule MX-7-235 registered N114MK was involved in an accident near Plummer, Idaho, 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

20 April 2003 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Plummer, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

47.3433, -116.9150

Aircraft

Maule MX-7-235

Registration

N114MK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Saint Maries → Plummer

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA03LA066

Nobody was injured.

The jamming of the left parking brake locking tab on a burr on the left brake master cylinder activation rod during the landing roll, resulting in the left brake becoming locked in a position where excessive braking was applied.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the last part of the landing roll, as the pilot was applying the brakes, the left main gear brake locked up, resulting in the tailwheel-equipped aircraft pulling hard to the left. As he tried to bring the aircraft to a stop, it nosed over onto its back. It was ultimately determined that the parking brake lock activation tab on the left brake master cylinder became stuck on the master cylinder plunger rod, resulting in a situation where the pilot was unable to reduce braking pressure on the left side. A further inspection of the system revealed that there was a burr on the master cylinder shaft. When the left brake was applied and then released, the burr lifted the parking brake locking tab, through which the cylinder shaft passes, and the spring that should press the tab back down to the unlocked position was unable to do so. This resulted in the failure of the brake to release, and it therefore remained locked in whatever had been its most fully-applied position. The malfunction was able to be duplicated during a post-accident inspection/test of the system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.