Cirrus Design Corp. SR22 accident near Half Moon Bay, California, March 8, 2005
On March 8, 2005 at about 4:40 am local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, registered N517SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California (Half Moon Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive braking during taxi that resulted in the right brake overheating and a fire. A factor in the accident was the pilot's continued operation with known deficiencies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2005 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · Half Moon Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR22
- Registration
- N517SW · registry record · serial 0666
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot taxied the airplane from the parking area to the end of the runway for takeoff, which was about 1.5 miles, with the right brake on to maintain alignment with the taxiway. He had turned onto the runway, when the passenger saw flames coming from the right main landing gear brake area. The airplane sustained structural damage to the right wing from the fire. The pilot said that for the past several months, the airplane had been "pulling left," and he had to drag the right brake in order to taxi straight. Two weeks prior to the accident, the pilot informed maintenance of the issue. Maintenance personnel found that the left brake cylinder and assembly had been leaking fluid. They repaired the left brake assembly, and returned the airplane to service. Three days prior to the accident, there was a report to maintenance that the left brake was pulling excessively. Section 4 of the airplane's operating manual, contained a caution note, which directed pilots to taxi with the minimum power needed for forward movement. It stated that excessive braking could result in overheated or damaged brakes, which could result in brake system malfunction or failure.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 463 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 399 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 612 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 2002; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-550-N27B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HAF Half Moon Bay CA at 4:40 am
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 4:13 am from SFO, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.