Incident Overview
During a landing on runway 8, the airplane experienced a ground loop and departed the south side of the runway. The assistant airport manager reported the event, noting that the pilot described the left brake as "not there" during the landing roll, while the right brake grabbed.
Post-Examination Findings
After the incident, examination of the airplane revealed a leakage in the left brake line. This leakage resulted in the failure of the left brake system. The pilot's account of a non-functional left brake and an excessively effective right brake aligns with the discovered mechanical issue.
Damage Assessment
The outboard 8 feet of the left wing was bent upward, and the tip of the left elevator sustained bending damage. No other damage was reported.
Probable Cause
The failure of the left brake due to a leakage in the left brake line caused asymmetric braking, leading to the ground loop and subsequent runway excursion.