Shanks V Roger VARI EZE N944X

Summary

On 11 February 2018 at about 20:58 local time, a Shanks V Roger VARI EZE registered N944X was involved in an accident near Santa Monica, California, 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

11 February 2018 at 20:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Monica, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Monica Muni (SMO)

Coordinates

34.0125, -118.4539

Aircraft

Shanks V Roger VARI EZE

Registration

N944X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1982

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

La Verne → Santa Monica

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA089

Nobody was injured.

An undetected fluid leak in the right brake line, which resulted in a reduction of braking effectiveness at the right wheel and a loss of directional control during the landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the experimental amateur-built airplane experienced a partial loss of right brake effectiveness. The pilot attempted to counter the directional control imbalance as the roll continued, but he became concerned that the airplane might run off the end of the runway and the drop-off at the end, so he applied maximum brake pressure. The airplane then veered left, departed the runway, and impacted a hangar.  Postaccident examination revealed that a slow fluid leak had developed at the inlet fitting of the right brake caliper, and the fluid level in the reservoir for the right brake master cylinder had dropped to just under half of its capacity. This leak most likely allowed air to be introduced into the system either through the fitting or the depleted brake reservoir, which resulted in reduced effectiveness of the right brake. Maintenance records indicated that the pilot replaced the hydraulic lines on the right side about 147 flight hours before the accident. The airplane was equipped with a free-castering nosewheel and ground steering was accomplished through differential braking once rudder effectiveness diminished at lower speeds. Therefore, with the loss of braking effectiveness on one side, the pilot had limited means to effectively slow the airplane and maintain directional control once the airplane decelerated to a speed below which rudder authority was available.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.