Accident Details
On February 5, 2021, at about 1445 central standard time, a Columbia LC42-550FG airplane, registration N115FP, was substantially damaged in an accident at Pawnee County Airport (LQR), Larned, Kansas. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
After a preflight check, the pilot, who owned the airplane, started the engine at about 1415 and taxied to runway 35. The takeoff began around 1430. When the airplane reached liftoff speed, the pilot felt a "strong" gust of wind and sensed a "stickiness of the plane on the runway." The pilot described the situation as "not normal" and unlike any previous experience with the airplane. He decided to abort the takeoff, applying intermittent braking and reducing thrust to idle.
Following the aborted takeoff, the pilot taxied to the runup area for runway 17 and checked the flight controls and systems. He reported that "everything inside the cockpit, and what I could see outside appeared and felt normal." At about 1445, he began a takeoff roll on runway 17. Again, the pilot noticed the airplane "sticking to the runway" and decided to abort. He applied intermittent braking and stated that, about 10 to 20 yards from the departure end of runway 17, the brakes "faded." The airplane rolled into a dry grassy area south of the runway and came to a stop. The pilot smelled and saw smoke rising behind the right wing. He advanced the throttle enough to move the airplane into a field beyond the runway and shut down the engine.
Upon exiting, the pilot saw that the left and right main landing gear were on fire. The passenger also exited, and the pilot used onboard fire extinguishers to try to contain the fire. Fire trucks arrived and extinguished the fire on the airplane and nearby grass.
Post-Accident Examination
The pilot reported that both the engine and flight controls operated normally during both takeoff attempts. The airplane came to rest on a 156° magnetic heading about 250 ft southeast of the end of runway 17. Both main landing gear wheel assemblies, brakes, wheel pants, strut coverings, and brake lines sustained severe fire damage. The underside of the left wing and fuselage were scorched, resulting in structural damage to the left wing.
Detailed examination showed that both main landing gear brake and wheel assemblies had severe fire damage, with the fire appearing to originate from the wheel brakes. The brake and wheel assemblies were mechanically intact with no anomalies other than the fire damage. The parking brake was not engaged. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces. The airplane was determined to be under its maximum gross takeoff weight.