Incident Overview
A student pilot was conducting touch-and-go landing practice at a local airport. During the third landing, the aircraft veered left, departed the runway surface, and collided with a runway sign. The pilot reported that the left brake had locked up, causing the veer.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, investigators examined the aircraft. The right tire was found flat, which was attributed to damage from striking the sign. The left tire showed no flat spots, and the left brake disc exhibited no evidence of heat discoloration. Functional testing of the left brake revealed that it operated normally, with no indication of a locked-up condition.
Findings
- The aircraft veered left off the runway and struck a runway sign during the third touch-and-go landing.
- The pilot reported that the left brake had locked up, but examination did not support this claim.
- The right tire was flat due to impact with the sign.
- The left tire and brake showed no signs of malfunction or damage consistent with a brake lock-up.