Took off with a parking brake on

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I was taking off a dirt strip which uses trench plates as run-up areas in order to prevent sucking up rocks. The nosewheel (if present) goes on the plate and mains go on both sides. So far so good. I completed the run-up, but then dragged the airplane with power off the plate and all the way to takeoff without stopping, commenced the takeoff roll, and at rotation the airplane made a slight but sudden nose-up movement that should've told me that it was on brakes the whole time.

But I did not come to the right conclusions. So, having taken off on brakes, I landed on brakes, too. It was on a paved runway after a rain, so there was weirdness in braking action, which I took for the effects of water. I only figured out what have done when it was time to taxi and I was unable to make a turn.

I am in a habit of ensuring before takeoff and landing that I'm not stepping on toe brakes, but in this case it wasn't relevant, since the action of the parking brake is independent.

After the flight I examined the tires and the prop and found no damage. I didn't flat-spot the tires, presumably because of all the water, and I didn't suck any rocks by using extra power when taxiing for takeoff. But it could be much worse.
 
What type airplane?

My Cessna releases the brakes when the toes are used, which is at the top of the rudder pedals. Did you use the rudder during your flight?
 
you aren't the only one who has ever done that

And you won't be the last:goofy:
 
I never use parking brakes. Can't forget it that way.
 
Rumor has it that some pilots occasionally have used a checklist but failed to notice an item on the list.
 
RJM62 said:
I guess the OP isn't a big fan of checklists...
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Interesting idea... Among my collection of checklists, C-150, C-172, GX, CTLS do not have a check item to release parking brake. DA-20 and PA-28 do. M20E says "release brakes", which I suppose may be interpreted as a hint to verify the parking brake. So apparently it can go either way.
 
Unregistered said:
After the flight I examined the tires and the prop and found no damage. I didn't flat-spot the tires, presumably because of all the water, and I didn't suck any rocks by using extra power when taxiing for takeoff. But it could be much worse.
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It probably is worse. A mechanic would probably find the brakes burnt. They might not have much life left in them now. When they get hot the metal in the linings starts to weld to the discs and cut things up. Just taxiing around using too much power and riding the brakes can do that.

Some older Cessnas had brakes that would release when the toe brakes were pressed, but those systems also had a reputation for letting go at inopportune moments. Newer models use a pull-and-turn affair similar to older American cars. Stays locked better.
 
Thankfully my parking brake is strong enough that it would be extremely difficult to not realize it was set.
 
After being instructed to taxi into position and hold, (happened a long time ago, in a Metroliner) we were told to expect to be in position for a few minutes for traffic...moments (not minutes at all) we were cleared for immediate takeoff. So we did - and it wasn't 'til I was over 90kts that I realized I had the parking brake set. To this day, I never set a parking brake on the runway.

Saw a Navy Grumman C-2 taxiing somewhat strangely; that is, it appeared to dip its right wingtip every few seconds. When the airplane stopped we learned why: The aircraft had returned from the ship and taken the catapult with the parking brake set - resulting in a huge flat spot on the tire.
 
Never abused the parking brake but I have tried to taxi (unsuccessfully) with the nose wheel chocked. :D

Looking forward to an eventual attempt to taxi with the Tailwheel secured. :rolleyes2:

Cheers
 
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Sure sounds like they don't work very well... are they supposed to be that weak?
 
Steve Foley said:
My Cherokee only had a parking brake. When I got checked out in a Cherokee 6 I refused to use the toe brakes
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Did you also refuse to utilize the constant-speed prop, since your cherokee didn't have one?
 
I posted earlier, having made the same error. My SureCheck checklist was missing "release brake" after run-up, though it did say to engage it. I wrote to the company, and they didn't respond. Most checklist do have a step to release the brake.
 
My brakes got jammed as I tried to release hand brake to taxi to the runway. Long story short - not using it ever again! Apparently PA28 are known for this issue; few clicks of failed release and you're done, unless you are mechanic and have necessary tools to release the latch.


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I worked for an airline many years ago and witnessed an E-120 (Brazilia) land with the parking brake on. Blew all the tires, shut down a major runway, had to de-plane pax and bus them to the terminal. Needless to say, it was a real "goatrope" for all involved. MTC had to go out and do a Nascar-type tire change to get the airplane off the runway and get it open again. ATC, the FAA, the Chief Pilot etc. all came down on that Captain and FO like a ton of bricks. Never heard the official word on it, but MTC was saying that the check airman had set the brake while in flight to evaluate the crew's effective use of the checklist and just forgot about it. The crew forgot to.
 
Check airmen have caused numerous catastrophes. We had a check airman conducting a captain check ride in a SA-227. Following the then misguided company procedure, which consisted of a VOR circling approach with a hydraulic malfunction, (which required the already task-saturated captain to pump the landing gear down - DURING THE CIRCLE) predictably ende by landing with the gear in the wells, because the check airman pulled the gear warning horn circuit breaker. I remember taking a similar ride, a month earlier. I told the CA I thought it would be a lot more sensible to pump the gear down at a nice safe altitude, then shoot the approach. But it cost the airline a hull loss before they came around.
 
cheap weenie said:
Did you also refuse to utilize the constant-speed prop, since your cherokee didn't have one?
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Nope.

Since there's no other way to adjust the prop, I used the blue knob. (Actually, I used the red know once, but that's a different story) Since there are multiple ways to apply the brakes, I chose the one that was more familiar to me and least likely to cause me to choose the non-existent one when it counted.
 
John Baker said:
Not even for your run up?

-John
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I never set it for run up. Trusting the parking brake at high power while looking mainly inside the cockpit is a recipe for an oops moment and a trip into the weeds.

Sent via teletype
 
Same here, don't trust the parking brake for runup, I use toe brakes only.
 
jesse said:
Nope. I don't trust them. Some types they're kinda OK. Most they're junk. I'd much rather hold the brakes manually.
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I have used both. In our plane I set the parking brake, verify they hold at run up rpm, the perform my checks quickly, while looking up enough to feel confident I haven't moved forward.
 
I use both as well. Apply parking brake before run up and release after are both in the check list.

Cheers
 
John Baker said:
Not even for your run up?
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I used to rent a C-150M, N2966V, which had the parking brake permanently broken (in addition to fuel switch, VOR, and 12V outlet). At first, coming from PA-28 without toe brakes I was not used to holding toes for run-up and my feet became seriously tired by the end of run-up. Eventually I got used to it.
 
Re using both, many aircraft the toe brakes are inoperative when the parking brake is set
 
The only time I ever use my parking brake is if I've already started the engine and I decide I want to readjust my seat position… and even then, I need to drop the RPM to around 600 for the brake to be reasonably effective for that few seconds.

At run up, it's toe brakes only for me.
 
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