Soko GALEB G 2 accident near Elko, Nevada, February 21, 2018
On February 21, 2018 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 1966 Soko GALEB G 2, registered N90SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Elko, Nevada (Elko Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An improperly installed brake cylinder, which resulted in insufficient hydraulic pressure being provided to three of the brake cylinders and the left brake being inoperable during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2018 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Elko, Nevada · Elko Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Soko GALEB G 2 A, built 1966
- Registration
- N90SR · no longer on the register · serial FVSG23107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, upon initial landing the airplane, the left brake was inoperative, and he chose to conduct a go-around and set up for a single-brake landing. The subsequent landing was uneventful, but the left brake was still inoperative. The pilot reported that, with about 1,500 ft of runway remaining, he chose to veer the airplane off the runway to the right to avoid running off the end. Subsequently, the airplane struck a drainage ditch berm, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Examination and disassembly of the hydraulically driven left brake assembly revealed that the No. 2 brake cylinder had not been properly installed, which allowed the brake pucks to move and resulted in three of them separating from the brake assembly. The separation of the brake pucks resulted in the No. 2 cylinder's piston being moved to the full-scale inward position. Subsequently, the No. 2 cylinder's piston then fully deflected, which resulted in a hydraulic leak that subsequently led to insufficient hydraulic pressure being provided to the other brake cylinders and subsequently to the left brake being inoperative during landing.
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 approach defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,800 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 14,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls Royce Viper 2Mk22/6 (turbojet); 870 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RTS Reno NV at 5:00 pm
- Destination: EKO Elko NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 06, 7,454 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from EKO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 4, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airport Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe Examination Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Airport Event Report | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.