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Casualties unknown

2016-07-01: Jabiru J430 (ZU-FBY) — In the grass area on the right hand side of Runway 19 at Trenney’s Airfield, ZA

In the grass area on the right hand side of Runway 19 at Trenney’s Airfield, ZA

On July 1, 2016, a Jabiru J430 (registration ZU-FBY) was involved in an aviation accident near In the grass area on the right hand side of Runway 19 at Trenney’s Airfield, ZA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The brake fluid in the cylinder was exhausted which caused the brakes to fail. This summary draws on records from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Accident and Incident Investigations Division.

Sourcesthe South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Accident and Incident Investigations DivisionPrimary reportUpdated 1785104676Data APIEditorial standards

On 1 July 2016, a Jabiru J430 (ZU-FBY) experienced brake failure while taxiing at Trenney's Airfield in KwaZulu Natal. The pilot steered onto grass to stop; the aircraft sustained propeller and nose strut damage. No injuries occurred.

History of Flight

On 1 July 2016 at 08:00Z, a Jabiru J430, registration ZU-FBY, departed from Browns Landing Airfield in KwaZulu Natal on a private flight to Trenney's Private Airfield. The pilot was the sole occupant. After landing at Trenney's Airfield, the pilot began taxiing towards the end of the runway to execute a turn-around. Before reaching the end, the pilot applied brakes to reduce speed and experienced brake failure. The runway had a down-slope, causing the aircraft to accelerate. To stop the aircraft, the pilot steered to the right-hand side of the runway onto the grass and closed the power. The aircraft came to a halt with damage to the propeller and a broken nose strut. The pilot was not injured.

Investigation

The investigation revealed that the brake fluid in the cylinder was exhausted, which prevented the brakes from functioning. There was no evidence of fluid leakage prior to the brake failure. The pilot did not conduct a proper pre-flight inspection before the flight. Meteorological conditions at the time included surface wind from 180° at 25 knots, temperature 15°C, and visibility CAVOK.

Conclusion

The probable cause of the accident was that the brake fluid in the cylinder was exhausted, causing the brakes to fail. A contributing factor was that the brake fluid was empty. No safety recommendations were issued.

Maintenance error

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