Citation 550 flight crew reported left brake locked up on landing resulted in left main runway excursion; wing struck sign and punctured fuel tank.
Synopsis
Citation 550 flight crew reported left brake locked up on landing resulted in left main runway excursion; wing struck sign and punctured fuel tank.
Narrative
On Day 0 we conducted a Part 91 repo flight crew only from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. The weather was Clear and Calm Winds. After a thorough pre-flight and flight calculations; we fueled the plane with a total of 300gallons bringing the total fuel up to 510 gallons or 3442 lbs of fuel at time of departure. We estimated the fuel burn to be around 500lbs for the flight to ZZZ with a proposed landing weight at ZZZ of 12;278 lbs well within the performance parameters for the landing at ZZZ on a dry runway in VFR conditions. We departed ZZZ1 at XA:37 and had a normal departure; a normal flight and joined the traffic pattern at ZZZ on the mid field left downwind for Runway X. We conducted a thorough pre-landing checklist and everything was normal. We entered our landing speeds based on the weights. Traffic was light and only 1 plane in the pattern and one for departure. We called final and commenced a normal landing. Prior to landing there were no flags and landing checks were complete. (Configured with Gear Down 3 Green heels on the floor; Full Flaps; and Vapp) We touched down center of the runway at Vref (107) with a normal landing and I lowered the nose. At that point I engaged the Thrust reversers while my SIC (second in command) engaged the speed brakes. I then applied normal braking. It was at this point that I noticed the left brake seemed to have locked up. I applied more brakes to the right brake to counter act the pulling to the left while just slightly removing some pressure from the left brake. We were slowing but going left and I started increasing the thrust reversers and applying right rudder and right braking to maneuver the plane back to the center of the runway. We had reduced the speed to almost a complete stop but could not get the plane back on centerline or at least to stay on the runway. The planes left main dropped off the edge of the asphalt into the grass and the aircraft came to a stop. The nose wheel and the right main wheel remained on the surface of the asphalt. Due to recent rains at ZZZ over the past weeks the ground was saturated resulting in the main sinking into the grass reducing the clearance height of the wing and the wing struck a sign and punctured the wing and the fuel tank just below the fuel cap. We noticed fuel pouring out of the wing thru the window and we immediately made a radio call that we were disabled on the runway; shut the engines down; turned all power off and evacuated the plane thru the normal main cabin door. We assisted the local mechanics; fire; police and local FBO staff on controlling the fuel leak and on removing the plane from the runway and tugged the plane to the departure end of Runway XX where it is currently parked on a closed taxiway.I believe that there was some malfunction in the left brake causing the plane to veer left and resulting in the loss of directional control. I think the saturation level of the ground was a contributing factor in the damage to the wing causing the wing to lower and strike the sign. In retrospect this was a normal fight from start to finish and I feel it was a mechanical failure of some kind and we were fortunate that the weather was ideal and was able to prevent any further damage during this mishap and that no one was injured.
Second reporter narrative
On Day 0 as performing the duties of SIC (second in command) on a Part 91 repo flight Crew only from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. The weather was Clear and Calm daytime VFR. After a thorough pre-flight with the PIC (pilot in command) and assisting the PIC with flight calculations; we fueled the plane. We estimated the fuel burn to be within the performance parameters that me and the PIC briefed for the landing at ZZZ. We departed ZZZ1 and had a normal departure; a normal flight and joined the traffic pattern at ZZZ on the mid field left downwind for Runway X. I did as normal with radio calls and working as a crew member for the flight. We together conducted a thorough pre landing checklist and everything was normal. I entered our landing speeds based on the weights calculated per checklist. I called downwind; base and final and we commenced a normal landing. Prior to landing I saw that there were no flags and landing checks were complete. (I as SIC configured the plane with Gear Down 3 Green when called for; verified heels on the floor; PIC asked for Full Flaps; and I called speed for Vapp). The PIC touched down center of the runway with a normal landing. The PIC engaged the Thrust reversers while I engaged the speed brakes. Everything appeared to be normal until I noticed the nose veering to the left. At that point I heard verbal alert from the PIC asking to assist with braking so as to prevent the airplane from veering left. When I started assisting the PIC with brakes; I noticed the left brake seemed to be locked up. The PIC instructed me to add right rudder to prevent the veering. We were slowing but going left and the PIC started increasing the thrust reversers and applying right rudder and right braking to maneuver the plane back to the center of the runway while I was assisting him with the same actions. The planes left main dropped off the edge of the asphalt into the grass and the aircraft that came to a stop. The PIC noticed fuel pouring out of the wing and asked me to make a radio call that we were disabled on the runway. The PIC shut the engines down; turned all power off after the radio call and we evacuated the plane thru the cabin door for a [priority] evacuation. I and the PIC discussed what we felt was the cause and concluded that we had a mechanical failure in the braking system. I in conclusion feel the plane would not have been damaged by the airport sign or the sign damaged if the ground would have not been so saturated from the recent rains. With ideal weather I was glad to help prevent any more damage to the plane and had no injuries during this incident.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.