C310 PILOT REPORTS BRAKE FAILURE AND RWY EXCURSION AT APA DURING TAKEOFF ATTEMPT.

Narrative

ON TKOF RWY 17L APA AT XA10; THE ACFT VEERED TO THE L. IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CTL THROUGH DIFFERENTIAL PWR AND BRAKING; THE R BRAKE WAS INOP AND PWR WAS INSUFFICIENT TO RE-CTR THE NOSE GEAR. (AFTER 15 DEGS L/R; THE NOSE GEAR BECOMES FREE CASTERING.) PWR WAS RETARDED AND THE ACFT MOMENTUM LED THE AIRPLANE JUST OFF THE L SIDE OF THE RWY. UPON REMOVING THE ACFT; INSPECTION SHOWED NO DAMAGE TO THE ARPT OR AIRPLANE. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED A LOT OF DIRT ON THE L WHEEL ASSEMBLY INDICATING A DRAGGING BRAKE OR LOCKED UP. THE R BRAKE FAILED DUE TO THE AIR IN THE SYS AND INSUFFICIENT FLUID TO COMPRESS THE CALIPER. THE L BRAKE LOCKED AS DRAGGING MADE THE ACFT VEER L AND THE R BRAKE FAILURE LED TO AN INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL WITH DIFFERENTIAL THRUST ALONE; SINCE THE NOSE WAS FREE CASTERED. BRAKE INSPECTION DURING PREFLT AND TEST ON TAXI AND RUNUP REVEALED NORMAL AND WORKING PROPERLY. MAINT STATED THE LOW FLUID ALLOWED FOR SUFFICIENT BRAKING TO THE POINT WHERE THE PAD WORE DOWN ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR AN INSTANT INGESTION OF AIR INTO THE SYS UPON BRAKE RELEASE AND RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE AVAILABILITY. IT SEEMED THIS OCCURRED UPON RELEASE OF BRAKES FOR TKOF ROLL AND ALONG WITH THE L BRAKE DRAGGING LED TO THE OCCURRENCE. NO DAMAGE WAS INCURRED IN ANY WAY.