NTSB Factual Report

On August 1, 2012, approximately 2345 central daylight time, a Piper PA44-180, N586ND, registered to the University of North Dakota, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway after landing on runway 17R at the Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Grand Forks, North Dakota. Both occupants, the certified flight instructor and the pilot under instruction, were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and had originated from GFK at 2150.

The student and instructor pilot were conducting a night local training flight. Prior to flying to their practice area, after they conducted several successful landings and takeoffs in the pattern, they proceeded to conduct their planned in-flight training. Upon return from the flight, with the student at the controls, the crew entered a right downwind for runway 17R for a full stop landing. The wind was light on the surface, but stronger from the west at pattern altitude. Landing gear was confirmed down and locked verbally by the student and instructor. During the turn to final, and due to the west wind at altitude, there was a slight overshoot, but the crew was able to become established on final and stabilized. The final approach and touchdown were uneventful, other than the touchdown point was long and the airspeed was fast. The flight instructor had planned to exit the runway at the Bravo exit, but with the extra speed he elected to continue to the next exit. The student had initially applied the brakes evenly for an exit at Bravo, but the instructor told him to continue to the next exit, and release the brakes to continue without stopping on the active runway. As the student released the brakes the aircraft began to yaw abruptly to the right. The student said that he was not applying any right brake pressure and the instructor was not on the brakes. Both instructor and student added left rudder and left brake pressure in an attempt to maintain directional control and keep the airplane on the runway. They said that they did not have enough control authority to keep the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft continued to the right and turned into the grass until the left main gear collapsed. Both throttles were at idle and the gear was confirmed down and locked just prior to landing. After the airplane came to a stop the crew exited uninjured. Structural damage was incurred to the left wing and fuselage behind the cabin bulkhead.

Examination of the airplane’s flight controls, landing gear system, and brake system did not show any evidence of mechanical malfunction or preaccident abnormalities. A review of maintenance activity on the airplane revealed two work orders related to the brake system. On November 28, 2011, both brake discs and linings were replaced. On December 13, 2011, the airplane was inspected for reported right brake sticking intermittently during takeoff roll and taxi. A review of maintenance activity on the airplane revealed two work orders related to the brake system. The operator’s maintenance personnel performed a thorough inspection after the accident, but were not able to identify a problem. They inspected the right brake system, which included removal and disassembly of the pilot’s right master cylinder and brake hoses and inspection of the right wheel cylinder piston and linings for possible binding. There was no indication of blockage found within the master cylinder or connecting hoses, and no evidence of scoring of the shaft. The brake disc was true and showed no indication of overheating, and the linings were even with no indication of binding on the pins. The piston moved smoothly with no indication of binding. The copilot’s right master cylinder was not removed for inspection because it had been replaced due to leaking seals since the previous reported occurrence of brake drag on December 13, 2011.

The student and instructor did not state that there was any crosswind while landing.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of directional control during landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion. The reason for the loss of directional control could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.