Incident Overview
An aircraft departed the side of the runway during takeoff or landing roll and continued past the departure end, ultimately colliding with a ditch. The pilot applied the brakes, but they failed to stop the aircraft.
FAA Inspection Findings
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage at the scene and reported that the aircraft had rolled 825 feet with the right wheel off the runway. The inspection found that both brakes were worn out, the brake reservoir was empty, the right brake held some pressure, and the left brake held no pressure.
Maintenance History
Review of the aircraft's logbooks indicated that the last annual inspection was performed on December 11, 1981. There were no records showing that the brakes had been examined since that inspection.