What happened
During a departure from runway 17, the pilot was performing a takeoff roll with an east crosswind. During the roll, the aircraft veered into the wind. The pilot attempted to correct the directional deviation using the rudder, but the correction proved inadequate. Upon attempting to apply the brakes, the pilot found the braking system was unresponsive. This led to a ground loop that resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
At the time of the accident, winds were recorded at 120 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot reported no prior issues with the braking system before the takeoff roll.
The investigation
An examination of the braking system revealed that the AN #3 fitting was cross-threaded. Additionally, investigators found metal contamination within the brake hose. This contamination prevented a proper seal, which resulted in a leak of brake fluid. An inspection of all other aircraft systems showed no anomalies.