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The captain then allowed the airplane to roll approximately 1500 feet with the flaps in the full down position to effect a drag upon the airplane and thus aid deceleration. He stated that no attempt was made to use the brakes until the airplane had given no indication of slowing down further by use of flaps. The captain testified that after the airplane had rolled approximately 1500 feet and was within 700 feet of the southwest end of the runway, began to apply pressure to the brake pedals. He stated that after getting the brakes "clear to the bottom" he discovered that there wer no brakes or that he had no braking action. Since there was insufficient runway left of take off and circle the field to make another landing, he stated that he immediately unlocked the tail wheal preparatory to ground-looping the airplane, still applying pressure to the brake pedals. He estimated that period during which he attempted to apply the brakes lasted about two or three seconds, and that during that period the airplane rolled about 175 feet. After the tail wheel had been unlocked, the captain released the pressure from the right brake pedal, applied full left brake and left runner and opened the right throttle. The captain testified that the airplane started to groundloop to the left that it became apparent that the groundloop was not progressing sufficiently to prevent the airplane from going over the 25-foot embankment along the edge of the airport.
During the early part of the groundloop Captain Wright had instructed First Officer Bininger to raise the flaps for the purpose of avoiding damage to them. The captain was of the opinion that the flaps were in the full up position by the time they started over the embankment. The captain cut the master ignition switch and the electrical switch as the airplane skidded sideways off the airport, down a 25-foot embankment and came to rest on the brush-covered hillside. The landing gear sheared off during the skid and the airplane slid to a stop on the underside of the wings and fuselage.
