Caravan 208B
Flight Crew Commercial
Workload; Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Troubleshooting
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Ground Incursion Taxiway; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure
I was holding number four in sequence on Hotel Taxiway. When I applied power to continue taxiing; I lost braking action and the airplane began to turn to the right. I applied the brakes and they where NOT responding. The airplane was heading toward the grass area at CHARLIE. I called the Controller to ask to taxi to CHARLIE and somebody blocked my call. Since the airplane was still not responding and the frequency was congested I switched frequency (thinking I still had ground frequency on STBY) I called again (unfortunately I had Departure frequency 120.9) The Controller told me that I had the wrong frequency and when I switched back to Tower frequency 132.05. I was already at CHARLIE and called again and had no answer. A few seconds later the Controller (in a very angry tone) calls me to tell me that before I enter CHARLIE I needed permission. She did not give me the chance to tell her I had a situation in the airplane. She then asked me if I needed assistance and what where my intentions; to which I replied 'NO assistance needed (because by that time I had regain control of the airplane) and I needed to return to APRON 6. She switched me to Ground frequency. With extreme caution I taxied back to APRON 6 as Ground had cleared me. I never got to tell the Controller I had lost breaking action and that's why I entered CHARLIE without permission.
A C-208B Captain reported a brake failure as she was attempting to hold short of a taxiway where prior entry permission was required as a result of frequency congestion could not communicate the aircraft's condition.