On August 9, 2008, at 1117 central daylight time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N1289R, collided with construction material following a loss of directional control while landing on runway 23 (6,000 feet by 150 feet) at the Waukegan Regional Airport (UGN), Waukegan, Illinois. The pilot was not injured and the airplane received substantial damage to the right wing. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed for the cross country flight. The flight originated from Bedford, Indiana, at 1035 eastern daylight time.
The pilot stated that he purchased the airplane last fall and that the purpose of the flight was to move the airplane to Alexandria, Minnesota, for an annual inspection. He reported he departed the Cherokee County Airport, Canton, Georgia, and flew to Bedford, Indiana, without any problem. He then departed Bedford and was making a planned stop at Waukegan when the accident occurred.
The pilot stated he made a normal landing on runway 23, touching down on the centerline, just past the runway threshold. He stated that he applied the toe brakes to turn off on taxiway Bravo and discovered there was no pressure on the right brake. The pilot stated he released the brakes as the airplane began to veer off the left side of the runway.
He stated there was construction taking place on the airport taxiways and he applied hard left brake to avoid hitting a construction worker and construction equipment. The airplane turned left and contacted a taxiway light and an 8-inch high concrete pillar with 3-foot high pieces of steel rebar sticking up from it. The pilot stated the brakes functioned properly up until the accident landing.
Post accident inspection of the airplane by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office in West Chicago, Illinois revealed there was no pressure in the right brake master cylinder.
The last annual inspection of the airplane was November 6, 2006.