On July 18, 1994, a Piper PA-31-310 (registration N6CC) operated by Gulkana Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Mccarthy, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE DURING THE TAKEOFF AND NOT ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRPLANE CHECKLIST. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot reported normal engine indications but slow acceleration during takeoff. The aircraft became airborne briefly before colliding with terrain. Post-accident inspection revealed thermal damage to main landing gear tires and glazed brake pads. The pilot believed he had released the parking brake after engine runup; no brake system issues were found.
Incident Overview
During a takeoff roll, the pilot noted that the engine indications were normal but the airplane was slow to accelerate down the runway. Despite the sluggish performance, the pilot did not consider aborting the takeoff. Passengers on board concurred with the pilot's account, stating that the airplane was airborne for only a very short time before it collided with terrain.
Post-Accident Findings
A post-accident investigation revealed that both main landing gear tires had been exposed to extensive thermal damage and that the brake pads were glazed. The pilot believed that he had released the parking brake after completing the engine runup. However, no problems were found with the airplane's brake system.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that the engine indications were normal, but did not elaborate on why the acceleration was slow. The decision to continue the takeoff despite the observed slowness was not explained beyond the pilot's statement that aborting was not considered.