Accident Overview
A pilot training for her Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate was returning to the airport after a flight. The accident occurred on runway 7R. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right wing after colliding with a sign.
Sequence of Events
During the first touchdown on runway 7R, the pilot felt that "...something was wrong with the rudder pedals." She experienced a slight tugging to the right, but once the airplane became airborne again, the tugging ceased. She then retracted the landing gear. While on downwind, she extended the landing gear, and the green light for the nose gear momentarily flickered before becoming a solid green light. As she turned onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, she verified that the landing gear were down and locked.
Upon touchdown, the pilot immediately felt the airplane tugging to the right side and decided to abort the takeoff. She began to pull the power back to idle and apply braking while leaving the flaps extended. As she applied the brakes, the airplane pulled to the right, which felt to the pilot like the right brake was locked. The pilot removed her feet from the brakes evenly, and the airplane turned quickly to the right. She attempted to correct with left rudder inputs; however, the airplane collided with a sign.
After the accident, the pilot indicated that a CFI at the flight school had told her that two of his students reported uneven braking in the airplane.
Post-Incident Investigation
The CFI was interviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator. He indicated that during two dual, instructional flights, his students reported uneven braking. When the students reported the problem, the CFI conducted the following landings. The CFI did not experience any braking anomalies or directional control problems with the airplane.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site. The inspector indicated that there were marks on the runway, consistent with the airplane touching down with the landing gear not pointed directly down the runway. Inspection of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions with the landing gear or braking system. Review of the maintenance records did not indicate any recent discrepancy reports involving the landing gear or braking system.