Accident Overview
On August 19, 2008, at approximately 1852 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-160, registration N9403D, operated by Tri Pacer Flyers LLC, departed the right side of runway 20 during the landing roll out at Greensburg Jeannette Regional Airport (5G8) in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from William T. Piper Memorial Airport (LHV) in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, at 1730.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that he overflew the airport and determined the landing direction from the windsock. He entered the traffic pattern on a left downwind leg for runway 20. He made two visual approaches, executing go-arounds both times because the airplane was too high. On the third approach, he landed the airplane approximately 600 feet past the landing threshold. The airplane bounced and touched down again about 1,300 feet past the threshold. The pilot aligned the airplane with the runway centerline and applied upward pressure on the manual brake to slow down. There was no brake response. He reapplied upward pressure, again with no response. Looking toward the firewall, he observed that the brake cable had separated. He began "S" turning the airplane on the runway to decelerate. Realizing he was about 50 yards from the runway end and an embankment, he applied right rudder to steer the airplane off the right side of the runway. The right main landing gear lifted off the runway, and the propeller and left wing tip struck the runway. The airplane continued off the runway, and the nose wheel collapsed.
Examination Findings
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the airplane and found the firewall was buckled. The brake lever cable was removed and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The cable was separated at approximately mid-length. Scanning electron microscope examination revealed fatigue features on about two-thirds of the cable wires, with the remaining wires fractured due to overstress. Further inspection uncovered an additional area of broken wires about midway between the brake handle end and the separation area. Multiple broken wires were visible when the cable was manually flexed, as described in advisory circular (AC) 43.13.1B for cable inspections.
Maintenance History
Review of the airplane logbooks showed the last annual inspection was conducted on July 14, 2008. According to the airport manager at LHV, who also manages Tri Pacer Flyers LLC, a brake booster was installed during that inspection, and no anomalies were noted with the brake cable. The airframe and power plant mechanic who performed the annual inspection stated that he did not remove the entire brake cable during the inspection or booster installation, nor did he use a magnifying glass. He reported pulling the cable up one side to the pulley at the bottom of the firewall and inspecting it up to the brake handle. He used a cotton rag to detect broken wires by running it over the cable; no snags were found.
Reference to Advisory Circular
The notes section of the Piper Aircraft Inspection Report for the PA-22 series references FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B for cable inspections. AC 43.13-1B, Chapter 7, Section 149, paragraph d, states: "Close inspection in these critical fatigue areas, must be made by passing a cloth over the area to snag on broken wires. This will clean the cable for a visual inspection, and detect broken wires if the cloth snags on the cable. Also, a very careful visual inspection must be made since a broken wire will not always protrude or stick out, but may lie in the strand and remain in the position of the helix as it was manufactured. Broken wires of this type may show up as a hairline crack in the wire. If a broken wire of this type is suspected, further inspection with a magnifying glass of 7 power or greater, is recommended. Figure 7-16 shows a cable with broken wires that was not detected by wiping, but was found during a visual inspection. The damage became readily apparent when the cable was removed and bent as shown in figure 7-16."