NTSB Factual Report

On September 10, 2010, about 1252 central daylight time, N226CP, an Embraer 500 (Phenom 100) multiengine corporate jet airplane, received minor damage after a runway excursion during a landing at Brenham Municipal Airport (11R), Brenham, Texas. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured. The airplane was owned by Vader LLC, North Augusta, South Carolina, and was operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross country flight departed Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, Arizona, about 0830 mountain standard time, destined for 11R.

The crewmembers reported that when the airplane was still on the ground at TUS they had a crew alerting system (CAS) message for BRK FAIL which they unsuccessfully attempted to reset. They decided to continue their departure and reported that the CAS message stayed active for the entire flight. The crewmembers also reported that the pilot was flying the airplane from the left seat for most of the flight and she conducted the global positioning system (GPS) approach to a straight-in landing on the runway. Just before landing the co-pilot took over and after touchdown discovered that he had “no brakes”. The airplane began skidding after he pulled the emergency parking brake (EPB) handle. The co-pilot reported the airplane continued to skid even after he pushed down and stowed the EPB handle.

The airplane was moving about 50 to 60 knots when both tires blew. While still skidding on the runway the nose rotated about 120 degrees to the left and the airplane exited the left side of the runway while moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed after contacting the soft ground on the side of the runway. Both crewmembers then exited thru the cabin door.

Data from the flight data recorder (FDR) shows that the CAS message for BRK FAIL appeared when the airplane was still on the ground at TUS and before the second engine had been started. The FDR data also showed that after touchdown at 11R both wheels were rotating after the EPB handle was stowed.

The brake control unit (BCU) was removed and destructively examined. A fault was found on the printed circuit board which led to an open circuit for a component installed on the board. The open circuit caused the failure of the BCU and the loss of normal braking. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies.

The pilot reported that the incident could have been avoided if they had waited longer before using the emergency brake. The co-pilot reported that they should not have departed from TUS with the unresolved CAS message.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilots’ decision to depart with a known failed brake control unit.