Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power): Lockheed 12A Electra Junior, N2072, accident occurred on June 17, 2024, at Seven Lakes Airport Jackson (62GA), Jackson, Georgia

• Location: Jackson, Georgia 
• Accident Number: ERA24FA266 
• Date & Time: June 17, 2024, 19:49 Local 
• Registration: N2072 Aircraft: Lockheed 12 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) 
• Injuries: 3 Serious 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194488/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194488

On June 17, 2024, at 1949 eastern daylight time, a Lockheed 12A airplane, N2072, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jackson, Georgia. The commercial pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot stated that, 10 days before the accident, the tailwheel-equipped airplane underwent maintenance on the right main landing gear strut, which required disconnection and subsequent reinstallation of the right brake line. Following the maintenance of the strut, the brake system was serviced and no anomalies or leaks were observed. 

The pilot reported that the preflight inspection, engine run-up, and flight were uneventful; however, during the landing roll, the right brake pedal became ineffective. The airplane then veered left, departed the runway, and subsequently impacted a tree. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right brake line fitting had loosened near a section of the landing gear assembly that flexed during gear movement. The brake line B-nut fitting was found finger-tight, and hydraulic fluid residue was observed on and around the B-nut fitting mount, consistent with hydraulic fluid leakage. 

Because the airplane required differential braking for directional control during ground operations, the ineffective right brake limited the pilot’s ability to maintain directional control, resulting in a runway excursion during the landing roll. 

- Probable Cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the right brake line, which resulted in a loss of right brake effectiveness during the landing roll and a subsequent runway excursion.