Accident Overview
On May 2, 2024, at approximately 1602 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T206H airplane, registered as N50101, was substantially damaged in an accident near Halls Crossing, Utah. The pilot and a student pilot were aboard and were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported performing an extensive preflight inspection before departing for a cross-country flight to the Nokai Dome backcountry airstrip. A visual inspection of the brakes indicated no anomalies. During the pre-taxi brake check and while using the brakes during taxi, the pilot stated that the brakes worked perfectly.
After departure, the pilot flew to the intended backcountry airstrip, set up an approach for runway 24, and observed a direct headwind. The approach to landing was described as perfect, and the airplane touched down smoothly within the first few feet of the dirt landing surface. During the landing roll, the pilot applied the brakes but noticed no braking action; both the left and right brakes had failed. The student pilot, seated in the right seat, also applied the brakes with no effect. The pilot then decided to abort the landing.
With 10° of flaps selected and full throttle applied, the airplane began to climb. However, it struck an approximately 8-foot-tall tree and subsequently impacted terrain about 280 feet beyond the departure end of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing aileron, the horizontal stabilizer, and the elevator.
Examination Findings
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed impact damage to the left main landing gear outer wheel half and bearing assembly, but the brake assembly remained intact and operational. The right main landing gear spring sustained impact damage and separated from the lower fuselage channel. The right wheel separated from the spring and sustained impact damage to each of the four axle attachment bolts. The hydraulic fluid line separated from the brake cylinder at the inlet fitting. Due to the damage to the right main landing gear, the functional test of the brake system was segmented and revealed no anomalies. No preexisting condition was identified that would have precluded the normal operation of the brake system.