Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41-550FG accident near Dallas, Texas, August 3, 2018
On August 3, 2018 at about 1:15 pm local time, a 2006 Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41-550FG, registered N2546B, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Dallas, Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control during taxi due to excessively worn brake pads and a deflated right main tire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2018 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Dallas-Fort Worth Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41-550FG, built 2006 · all LC41-550FGs on the register
- Registration
- N2546B · no longer on the register · serial 41582
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was taxiing to the ramp after an uneventful landing when the airplane did not respond to his application of brakes. The airplane subsequently departed the taxiway and entered a grass median, where the right wing impacted a lighted taxiway sign. The airplane was not equipped with nosewheel steering and relied on differential brake input to steer the airplane while on the ground. A postaccident examination noted that the brake pads for both main landing gear were worn excessively, which allowed brake fluid to leak past their respective O-ring seals when the brake pedals were depressed. Additionally, the right main tire was deflated and exhibited rotational scoring where the wheel rim had contacted the tire. It is likely that the right main tire deflated during taxi and the pilot was unable to adequately maintain directional control due to the excessively worn brake pads.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway)
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,122.9 hours in all; 214.1 in this make and model; 93.6 in the last 90 days; 31.8 in the last 30 days; 1,122.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 696 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 2018; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-C9 (piston); 696 hours total
- Operator: Reitz Offshore Logistics, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 12:15 pm
- Destination: DFW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from DFW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN18LA315.