Incident Details
During a local flight, the pilot performed two touch-and-go landings before climbing to a higher altitude, which was cooler, and then returning to the airfield for a full-stop landing. On the landing roll, the pilot was unable to achieve braking. The aircraft continued off the upwind end of the runway, down an embankment, and into a ditch.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot had accumulated 118 total flight hours, with fewer than 16 hours in the accident make and model. The aircraft was equipped with a closed hydraulic brake system that was sensitive to temperature.
Temperature and Brake Examination
In the days preceding the flight, a significant drop in temperature had occurred. According to a pilot/mechanic with 40 years of experience in the same make and model, the braking system could become ineffective if it contained less than the optimal amount of hydraulic fluid and then experienced significant cold soaking. Following the accident, an FAA inspector examined the brakes and found no mechanical malfunction. However, that examination took place in a heated hangar.