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DEN90LA050

1990-02-03 · LAS VEGAS, Nevada, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LAS

Current FAA registration · N25CH

Make / Model
RANS S-2B
Year of manufacture
1986 · 4 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING AEIO-540 SER (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19870312
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2555F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER A PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE NORMAL BRAKE SYSTEM.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING LANDING ROLL ON A FUEL STOP, THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE LEFT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH RIGHT BRAKE, TO NO AVAIL. THE PLANE GROUND LOOPED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY AND ENTERED SOFT TERRAIN. THE PLANE NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE PADS WERE WORN AND REQUIRED MORE FLUID FROM THE BRAKE RESERVOIR. THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE RESERVOIR WAS LOW. NO LEAKS OR OTHER PROBLEMS WERE FOUND ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN WITH LANDING GEAR ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE WINGS, MAKING IT CAPABLE OF INVERTED LANDINGS. THE SAME FLUID RESERVOIR SERVED BOTH SETS OF BRAKES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_DEN90LA050.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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