On May 5, 1998, a Piper PA-18-160 (registration N4319Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to ensure that the parking brake was fully released before takeoff, which resulted in a GPS antenna cable becoming lodged in the right brake and causing an uncontrolled veer off the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane departed the runway during takeoff after a GPS antenna cable became lodged in the right parking brake, preventing proper operation.
What happened
The pilot reported that during the initial phase of the takeoff roll, the aircraft's tail lifted as expected. However, immediately following this rotation, the airplane began to veer sharply toward the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to continue the takeoff by extending the flaps, but the aircraft remained below the necessary flying speed to achieve lift. Consequently, the airplane departed the paved surface of the runway.
The investigation
A postaccident inspection of the aircraft revealed a mechanical obstruction affecting the braking system. Specifically, the cable for the GPS antenna had become lodged within the mechanism of the right parking brake. This entanglement caused the right brake to remain partially engaged during the takeoff roll, contributing significantly to the uncontrolled veer off the runway.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure that the parking brake was fully released before takeoff, which resulted in a GPS antenna cable becoming lodged in the right brake and causing an uncontrolled veer off the runway.
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