Piper PA-28-181 accident near Edwards, California, November 16, 1995
On November 16, 1995 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N92505, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edwards, California (Edwards Air Force Base airport). It was a public-use 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to completely release the parking brakes prior to taxi, which produced a brake over temperature condition and brake fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1995 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Edwards, California · Edwards Air Force Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N92505 · registry record · serial 28-90211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the aircraft's brakes failed after taxiing from base operations to the runway, a distance of 2.1 miles. He exited the aircraft and noted brake fluid leaking onto the ground and smoke coming from the right wheel brake. He called for fire equipment and was walking to a ramp fire extinguisher when the right brake ignited. FAA inspectors subsequently reported that the right main landing gear had been involved in a fire which consumed the tire and wheel fairing, and burned a hole in the wing above. The left main landing gear and wheel, which did not burn, showed evidence of high temperature. The brake caliper was leaking fluid, the brake disk was distorted and discolored, and the tire sidewall was heat damaged in the area adjacent to the brake disk. The pilot attributed the fire to the parking brake master cylinder or parking brake linkage failure causing a minor binding of brakes. A lineman at the flight's point of origin reported having to help the pilot start the engine and that he could hear the brakes dragging as the aircraft taxied away.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,740 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 460 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 481 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1995; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EDW at 5:00 pm
- Destination: CMA Camarillo CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 15,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from EDW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N92505 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX96TA046.