How often do brakes catch fire on take-off?

[Mike X]

For my edification, how often do brakes catch fire on take off ?

[hetfield]

@mike

What about this?

http://www.aircrash.org/burnelli/pdf/aw910722.pdf

[Mike X]

Thanks a lot. The article, in my understanding, implies locked brakes and a possible puncturing of the wing when the tyre/wheel failed leading to fire and a succession of related failures. Not the case with Ryanair it would seem, more like a variation of Concorde.

Much appreciated.

[hetfield]

@mike

It was simply an underinflated tyre which caused the DC-8 crash.

Unfortuneatly neither the airlines nor aviation authorities have learnt from this, 'cause it's still allowed to fly without tyre pressure indication and/or whell well fire warning and/or brake temperature indication in a commercial airliner:ugh:

[Checkboard]

This one is pretty famous.

Swissair Flight 306 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swissair_Flight_306)

[hetfield]

@Checkboard

Thx for your input.

For those who are interested in more detail of the Saudi/Nationair crash:


http://www.flightsafety.org/ap/ap_sep93.pdf

Recommendation of the Saudi investigation team was:

Each transport aircraft be equipped with:

- wheel well fire warning (my airbus doesn't have)
- wheel well fire protection (my airbus doesn't have)
- tyre pressure indication in cockpit (my airbus doesn't have)
- brake temperature indication (my airbus has, but according MEL may be inop)


In fact many airbuses fly around knowing nothing about heat condition in wheel well.

BTW, starting 01. September 2007 all new registered cars and trucks in the US must have a tyre pressure indication:ugh:

[Ocampo]

Each transport aircraft be equipped with:

- wheel well fire warning (my airbus doesn't have)
- wheel well fire protection (my airbus doesn't have)
- tyre pressure indication in cockpit (my airbus doesn't have)
- brake temperature indication (my airbus has, but according MEL may be inop)

Hello, sir.

In addition to your post, the MD-80 series (and maybe the 757/767's?) have wheel brake temp indicator; the B737NG's have wheel well fire warning (and I don't remember if the classics have it); no bottle to discharge or anything if it happens though :ooh:

Although, I see your point; it seems not that much has been done to increase awareness and protection in those aspects.

Best regards.
Ed

[Flight Detent]

just to add, Ocampo...

737NGs all have wheel well fire indication,

737NGs all have the option of individual wheel brake temperature indication,

though as you may know, by no means have they all taken that option.

cheers...FD :)

[Checkboard]

There was also the case of Capital International Airways DC-8-63F N4909C. This aircraft attempted take-off on an icy runway at Anchorage, Alaska, with pressure applied to the brakes (how the brake pressure was applied was not able to be determined).

On the icy runway the locked wheels skidded, initially with a similar performance to a normal take-off, however the rising friction eventually set fire to and burst all of the main wheels before the DC-8 could rotate. The aircraft failed to become airborne and overran the runway by more than 1000m, coming to a halt in flames after impacting the ILS antennae.