NTSB Factual Report

On April 17, 2004, at 1200 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 195, N127DD, ground looped during the landing roll at Snohomish County (Paine Field), Everett, Washington, during a 14 CFR Part 91 local instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and neither the student pilot (registered owner of the aircraft) nor the flight instructor were injured. The flight departed from Paine Field about one hour and 15 minutes prior to the accident.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the flight instructor reported that the student pilot had accumulated about 10 hours of flight time since his recent purchase of the aircraft. After completing some air work, the flight returned to Paine Field to practice touch-and-go landings. Five landings had been accomplished without incident to runway 16 right. During the landing roll for the sixth touch-and-go, the instructor stated that the aircraft started to pull to the right side. The instructor instructed the student to release the right brake and rudder, however, the aircraft "responded as if the student had increased the brake and rudder pressure." The instructor immediately applied full left rudder and braking action, and reduced power to idle, but he was unable to overcome the condition. The aircraft continued to skid toward the right side of the runway, in a side skipping action, which resulted in a partial ground loop. The aircraft came to rest on the side of the runway.

The student pilot reported similar circumstances leading up to the accident.

After both pilots exited the aircraft to inspect for damage, they noted that when they attempted to move the tail back onto the runway, the aircraft would not move. It was also noted that the right side brake was "...very hot and smelled of hard braking when in fact we had not applied right brake during the roll out, and there were skid marks from both main gear wheels on the runway."

About one hour and thirty minutes after the accident, the aircraft was found to move without difficulty.

Post-accident inspection of the aircraft noted substantial lower fuselage wrinkles in the area just forward of the landing gear leg attach points.

A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Seattle, Washington, Flight Standards District Office, inspected the aircraft after it had been moved to a hangar. The Inspector reported that he did not observe any evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction with the brake system and did not note any evidence of heat distress.

The flight instructor reported that during a previous flight, the right side brake experienced a similar occurrence. During this occurrence, the aircraft was able to exit the runway onto the taxiway. The instructor stated that the aircraft could not be taxied under its own power and was subsequently towed back to parking. The wheel brakes were checked by the owner's mechanic. The aircraft maintenance logbook indicated that on February 27, 2004, the brake cylinder "O" ring and insulators were replaced. The brake lines were also bled.

The aircraft had operated with no discrepancies noted for approximately 5.5 hours since the maintenance work was accomplished.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft as a result of a locked main gear brake during the landing roll. An inadvertent ground loop was a factor.