Accident Overview
On June 19, 2022, at 1304 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 414, registration N1996G, sustained substantial damage during a landing accident at Rostraver Airport (FWQ) near Monongahela, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight and Approach
The pilot reported that the preflight, run-up, taxi, and en route portions of the flight revealed no anomalies with the airplane's performance or handling. During the final approach for runway 26 at Rostraver Airport, the pilot noted a wind shear of -15 knots and adjusted the reference landing speed (Vref) by adding 10 knots, considering the wind shear to be no issue. The landing flare was initiated 500 feet beyond the landing threshold, but a wind gust lifted the airplane, resulting in touchdown approximately 1,000 feet beyond the threshold of the 4,002-foot runway.
Landing and Brake Failure
Upon touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes but reported no braking action despite hard application. The pilot then turned off the power, raised the flaps, pulled the mixtures, turned off the fuel, and kept pressure on the brakes. An attempt to ground loop the airplane at the departure end of the runway was unsuccessful. The pilot guided the airplane to the left, avoiding lights and infrastructure, and the aircraft transitioned onto a grass apron, descended an embankment, and came to rest upright. The nose and right wing sustained substantial damage.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the airplane at Rostraver Airport was conducted by an investigator from Textron Aviation and a Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector. The brake units (rotors and stators) of the main landing gears were examined; the left main landing gear brake cylinder and pressure plate were disassembled with no anomalies noted. The right main landing gear brake unit remained installed, but the brake hose had been cut by recovery personnel. Removal of cockpit carpet and panels, as well as an exterior access panel aft of the nose landing gear bay, revealed hydraulic (brake) fluid in the area. The nut securing the 45° fitting to the 90° fitting of the brake hose at the pilot's right brake master cylinder was found loose. The hose was removed and found to be a different but authorized substitute for the line specified in the Cessna parts catalogue. After reinstallation and tightening, the system was pressurized with compressed air and revealed no leaks.
Maintenance History
The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 10, 2021, at 6,349.5 total aircraft hours. According to the Cessna Model 414 Service Manual, the service interval for inspecting brake system plumbing for leaks and hose deterioration is after the first 100 hours, then every 200 hours and every 12 months. The most recent annual inspection occurred 12 months, 9 days, and 126.1 aircraft hours before the accident. A summary of brake work over the 10 years prior to the accident includes multiple replacements of brake lines, linings, and bleed procedures, the last of which was a brake bleeding and installation of eight new brake linings on September 14, 2020.