Piper PA-22-108 accident near Frederick, Oklahoma, February 3, 1998
On February 3, 1998 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N4654Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Oklahoma (Frederick Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 loss of wheel brakes due to the failure of the brake actuating cable. A factor was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1998 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Oklahoma · Frederick Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N4654Z · registry record · serial 22-8177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 35-hour student pilot stated that he was aware that he was landing downwind, but feared that he might have lost visual contact with the airport due to the fog that was forming, if he had attempted to circle the airport to land on runway 3. The pilot reported the winds from 030 degrees at 15 knots and stated that he touched down midfield on the 4,800-foot runway. During the landing roll, he started to apply the wheel brakes as he approached the departure end of the runway. While applying brake pressure with the brake lever, the cable to the brakes snapped resulting in the total loss of braking action. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, and the nose wheel impacted a ridge/terrace in the wheat field adjacent to the airport. The 1961 model 'Colt' had accumulated a total of 1,715 airframe hours. According to the manufacturer's illustrated parts catalog, the failed cable assembly for the brake control, part number 40123-91, is a condition item without a specific replacement or retirement time. The cable separated at the point where it makes a sharp turn over a pulley (part number 11200-00).
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,715 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1997; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FDR at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 FTW98LA124.