On December 13, 1984, a Britten-norman BN-2 (registration N119DW) operated by Crown Air, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near San Juan, PR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The internal failure of the right brake cylinder during taxi operations, which prevented the pilot from maintaining directional control and resulted in a collision with a parked vehicle. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft collided with a parked fuel truck on the airport ramp after its right brake cylinder failed internally during a directed turn.
What happened
Following the completion of the landing phase, the flight crew received instructions from ground control to taxi toward the cargo ramp area. This directive was issued to clear the active taxiway for an approaching Boeing 747 that was also maneuvering on the ground. Once positioned at the ramp, ground control directed the aircraft to execute a 180-degree turn and proceed further east along the ramp surface.
As the pilot initiated the left turn to comply with these instructions, a mechanical failure occurred within the aircraft's braking system. Specifically, the right brake cylinder experienced an internal failure, rendering it inoperative. Without the ability to brake on the right side, the aircraft continued its trajectory to the left rather than turning as intended. The uncontrolled lateral movement resulted in the aircraft colliding with a fuel truck that was parked nearby.
Probable cause
The internal failure of the right brake cylinder during taxi operations, which prevented the pilot from maintaining directional control and resulted in a collision with a parked vehicle.
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