Pre landing brake check
Okay, happily, it did not rise to the level of concern of a close call, but...
Yesterday, by prior arrangement I had to test fly a C210 following heavy maintenance. The shop pilot flew it before I did, and declared it ready to go. So I confirmed the walk around check with him, and hopped in for the flight I was required to do. I did all my pre flight checks, and everything was fine, so off I went. The plane flew like a dream! The runway I had to land back to is 2000 feet of grass, and there was no wind. So, not "short field", but I was paying attention not to use too much runway either. I touched down where I wanted to, with a comfortable amount of runway left for a rollout. I applied the brakes, and both pedals went all the way to the firewall, with no braking. (They'd worked fine when I'd taxiied out for takeoff!). No room to go around now, wires ahead! So full aerodynamic braking (which I was doing anyway), and pump the pedals. Both brakes came back, and I used a little braking to complete my stop comfortably before the end of the runway.
So, my only observation as I returned the plane was that the brakes didn't work! He replied, "Oh yeah, I meant to tell you...". He's a good guy, so I know that there was no ill intent, a simple oversight. But, I failed, as I should have checked the brakes on final. It's not a flight manual checklist item, though I know it is a good practice, and I have been casual, in that I've never before flown a plane where the brakes went bad during the flight! It's usually something you notice when you taxi out for takeoff. But, a first for me yesterday, both brakes went soft during a 35 minute flight. Pumping them got me the braking I needed, but was something I did with rapidly increasing urgency!