What happened
On 23 June 2002, a Maule M5-235C, registration G-NHVH, was performing a private flight from Cranfield Airport in Bedfordshire to Exeter International Airport. During the approach and landing on Runway 26, the aircraft encountered surface winds of 8 knots from 330°.
As the aircraft was completing its landing roll on the tarmac runway, it entered a ground loop. The maneuver caused the aircraft to veer off the edge of the runway, eventually coming to a stop on the northern side of the airfield. There were no fatalities and no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the accident report submitted by the pilot and subsequent inquiries. The aircraft, a four-seat tailwheel type, sustained severe damage to its left wing and distortion to the main landing gear.
Investigators examined the braking system to determine the cause of the loss of directional control. The examination revealed that the aircraft had experienced a complete failure of the left-side braking capability. A follow-up engineering inspection identified a fractured brake line as the source of the malfunction.