Incident Details
During the landing roll on runway 13 at Air Park East Airport, the flight instructor was manipulating the controls when the left brake failed. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, resulting in separation of the nose landing gear and damage to the firewall. The incident occurred after the private pilot and flight instructor had completed three touch-and-go landings and were returning to correct maintenance anomalies identified during the earlier flight.
Maintenance History
A mechanic had previously manufactured and installed a hydraulic brake line for the left brake during a repair, but did not bleed the brake or perform a landing gear retraction test. A second mechanic was subsequently hired to add brake fluid and bleed the brake. The flight instructor, who also held an A&P mechanic certificate, was requested to inspect the airplane for maintenance defects. During taxi, the instructor determined that the left brake needed further bleeding, but it operated satisfactorily.
Examination Findings
Post-incident examination of the airplane revealed that the left brake line was fractured where it had been chafing. The chafing and subsequent fracture led to the brake failure during the landing roll.