Columbia LC41 550FG N2526C

Summary

On 27 November 2017 at about 18:30 local time, a Columbia LC41 550FG registered N2526C was involved in an accident near Oro Valley, Arizona, United States. 3 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

27 November 2017 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Oro Valley, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

La Cholla Airpark (57AZ)

Coordinates

32.3900, -110.9675

Aircraft

Columbia LC41 550FG

Registration

N2526C

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tuscon → Steamboat Sprin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA037

Nobody was injured.

The inadequate cooling time between repeated heavy braking applications, which resulted in the brakes overheating and a subsequent brake fire during the aborted takeoff sequence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the engine surged during an attempted takeoff, and she aborted the takeoff. She let the engine idle for about 5 minutes and then attempted another takeoff. However, the engine surged again. The pilot applied the brakes and aborted the second takeoff. As the pilot was trying to determine the problem and was planning to taxi back to the hangar, the airplane started rolling across the runway and the pilot lost braking capability. The airplane rolled across and off the runway into a ditch. The brakes caught fire which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that the airplane was at its maximum gross weight at the time of the accident. The pilot operating handbook for the accident airplane stated that after heavy braking, especially when the airplane is near gross weight, the pilot should allow the brakes to cool for about 20 minutes before additional heavy braking, as the brakes may overheat. It is likely that due to insufficient time to allow the brakes to cool, during the second aborted takeoff sequence, the brakes overheated, which resulted in a brake fire and led to the pilot's loss of braking capability. 

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.