On August 28, 1995, a Cessna 337D (registration N85972) was involved in an aviation accident near Carthage, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: FAILURE OF THE NORMAL BRAKE SYSTEM FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT'S SEATBACK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing roll, pilot applied nonresponsive brakes, causing seat back to break. He initiated go-around but struck trees past runway end. Brake system had no preflight discrepancies; reason for failure undetermined.
Accident Details
A pilot reported that during the landing roll, the brakes were nonresponsive. While forcibly applying the brakes, the seat back broke. The pilot pulled himself upright and, recognizing that insufficient runway remained, applied full power to initiate a go-around.
Pilot Actions
During the initial climb, the airplane collided with trees past the departure end of the runway. The pilot reported no discrepancies of the brake system before departure.
Investigation
No determination could be made as to the reason for the reported brake failure. The investigation did not identify any pre-existing issues with the brake system or other components.