NTSB LAX92LA363 — 1992-08-23 · BAKERSFIELD, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N3201U

Make / Model: NORTH AMERICAN NA-64
Year of manufacture: 1940 · 52 years old at event
Engine: WRIGHT 975 A B D&E (330 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19920508
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A370DE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3201U North American NA-64 None

Probable cause & findings

LEAKAGE OF BRAKE FLUID FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ONTO THE BRAKE LINING AND DRUM.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TURNING TO THE LEFT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE TURNING TENDENCY WITH RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE APPLICATION; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY GROUND LOOPED AND COLLAPSED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE BRAKES WERE EXAMINED AND BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE BRAKE DRUM AND LINING. DISASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT BRAKE CYLINDER REVEALED DEEP CORROSION PITS ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE CYLINDER. DUE TO THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF THE AIRPLANE, VEGETABLE BASE (AUTOMOTIVE) BRAKE FLUID IS USED. IT WAS REPORTED THAT UNLIKE MINERAL BASE BRAKE FLUID USED IN MODERN AIRCRAFT, 'VEGETABLE BASE FLUID WILL NOT TOLERATE HIGH TEMPERATURE AND WILL CAUSE A BRAKE LINING TO 'GRAB' THE DRUM DURING HEAVY BRAKE APPLICATION.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92LA363.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.