Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On May 5, 2022, about 2110 mountain daylight time, a Swearingen SA226-T(B), N36LC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Centennial Airport (APA), Denver, Colorado. The captain and first officer were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.
 
After six passengers disembarked at Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI), Grand Island, Nebraska, the captain and first officer departed from GRI without passengers. During the takeoff roll, the captain reported that the airplane accelerated slower than normal. At 60 to 80 knots, the captain “pushed in the parking brake” handle and continued the takeoff. The crew reported no anomalies on the departure or en route to APA.

During the landing at APA, the airplane swerved right, and the captain was not able to maintain directional control. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.

Postaccident examination revealed that the right main landing gear brakes were thermally damaged and seized. The right main landing gear tires had flat spots down to the wheel rims, consistent with no tire rotation during the landing. The left main landing gear brakes were not seized and the tires did not have flat spots.

No anomalies were observed with the braking system that would have precluded normal operation. According to the flight manual, proper release of the parking brake required brake pedals to be depressed while the parking brake handle was pushed fully forward. If the parking brake handle was pushed forward without the brake pedals depressed, it was possible for the brakes to retain pressure. The captain’s failure to ensure that the parking brake was correctly released before takeoff, which resulted in seized brakes during landing and a subsequent loss of directional control and runway excursion.