Incident Description
During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the brakes initially appeared functional but gradually lost effectiveness midway through the rollout. In response, the pilot aborted the landing and attempted to resolve the issue using the aircraft's checklist. However, the checklist did not cover loss of braking effectiveness.
Pilot Actions
After evaluating the option of diverting to another airport, the pilot decided against landing on an asphalt runway and instead chose to land in the taller weeds parallel to runway 09 at the accident airport. During the subsequent landing roll, the weeds provided some deceleration, but the pneumatic braking remained weak and insufficient. The aircraft continued into the trees at the end of the landing run.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the brake handle in the front cockpit was not properly adjusted, resulting in insufficient travel to fully engage the brakes. No other anomalies associated with a preexisting condition were found. Additionally, an airport located approximately 8 nautical miles at a magnetic bearing of 353 degrees from the accident airport had three runways, all exceeding 7,600 feet in length, with the longest at 11,200 feet.