Alitalia A321 brakes failure @ Naples

[wings1011]

We have just witnessed the most incredible thing in Naples (Italy) yesterday night waiting for takeoff, an helicopter were just starting so the tower told us to wait for taxying to holdingpoint rwy 06, that may jst have saved our aircraft and lives.Second later an Aliatalia a321 landing opposite way rwy 24 and apparantly he did not have any brakes and could not stop tha aircraft fast enough, hi did then go off runway to the right and then with maximum reversers sucking in lots of debris in right engine causing major damage to it and flame out (stated later) then he came on back on rwy to the end of runway still on fairly high speed (thats were we were waiting) then taking the last exit (left) to avoid going into wall at end of rwy coming into apron (going around us) with right engine smoking still in very high speed in complete panic then turning sharp left skidding nose tires so hard withesses says aircraft were actually going for a short time on right main gear and nose gear only like a cartoon managing to make a 180 deg turn in incredible speed turning back on grass and up on the runway again now facing 06. There finally the aircraft came to rest about 500m fwd right of us.The incredible thing is that nobody or no other equipment were damaged (luckily the aircraft normally parked there have not yet landed).We taxied back to gate and 2.5 hrs later the airbus was towed away and airport back to business.
Sometimes you really get to it how quick it could end if things were not so fortunate.
So my question is how could this happen? we did speak to an alitalia technician and he said that one of the brake computers of the airbus was inop (alresdy on HIL =ADD) and the other one broke after landing.
Im not at all familiar with the airbus family so I could not say if an airbus lose all braking capability if both cmptrs are inop?.
If that is the case how can it be possible to release an aircraft to flight with one system inop?, how could such a system be approved ??? im sure there is somthing else that we are not aware of that happened.
Please you out there that knows airbus with any experience in this matter please let me know


Lucky survivor

[maxalt]

If true, it really does sound like something from a cartoon.
And you sound like a journalist.

But hey, what the heck.

Every commercial transport aircraft has multiple services to critical systems, including brake systems.
From memory, there are indeed a pair of Brake System Computers on the A320, and there have been several reports of both failing together, leaving crews with no brakes. The way to deal with that scenario requires some quick action on another switch (NWS Disconnect switch) and some fancy foot work on the brake pedals. A competent crew can cope with it in theory.

The question about dispatch with a backup system u/s is more complex - there are regulated lists of allowable defects. This is called an MEL - Minimum Equipment List. Sometimes 'spare' systems are allowed to be used to keep an a/c flying, per the MEL. If EVERY system was required ALL the time - its doubtful if most a/c would ever fly.

Wish I'd been there, with a camera. At a safe distance of coure.

Ciao.

[HeavyDog]

What was the carrier's name planted on the side?
That sound's like an normal landing!

[wings1011]

Incredible but stll true

sorry to say but im not at all an journalist,but ive been in the aviation business for almost 20 years and thats why im so amased, because I thought something like this could not bee seen, its also written in all newspapers aound italy with various speculations etc. I ofcause know very well what MEL is since you basicly work with it every day,
anyway for those people who saw it live it was an unforgettable sight !

some newclip

http://www.repubblica.it/2007/04/sez...za-napoli.html

[wings1011]

By the way if someone goes to naples within next few days the clear damage to grass at the end of rwy 24 an adjacent taxiway is clear to be seen.Not eve the iTalians could cover this up !
Regards

[high-hopes]

This is from the ANSV website (which is the Italian equivalent of AAIB, or NTSB if you prefer)
http://www.ansv.it/IE/Detail.asp?ID=801

I am no Airbus expert, (in fact I am no expert at all) just translating from the Italian website.

Serious incident in Napoli Capodichino

ANSV have opened a technical investigation into the serious incident happened yesterday 9th April, 22:40 local time, to the A321 registration I-BIXK at the Napoli Capodichino airport.
Immediately after touchdown, the pilot noticed a total malfunction of the braking system, declared an emergency and proceeded into slowing down the landing run with thrust reversers only; not being able to come to a stop, they took a taxiway at slower speed and turned to the opposite direction thus coming to a halt.
There were no injuries among the 182 passengers and crew on board.

Inconveniente grave a Napoli Capodichino
L’ANSV ha aperto un’inchiesta tecnica per inconveniente grave sull’evento occorso ieri 9 aprile, alle 22.40 locali, all’aeromobile A321, marche I-BIXK, sull’aeroporto di Napoli Capodichino.
Subito dopo l’atterraggio, il pilota, riscontrando il totale malfunzionamento dell’impianto frenante, dichiarava emergenza, decelerando la corsa al suolo con il solo ausilio degli inversori di spinta dei motori; non riuscendo a fermarsi, impegnava, a bassa velocitŕ, una via di rullaggio, sulla quale effettuava una inversione della direzione di provenienza, arrestando l’aeromobile.
Nessuna conseguenza per i 182 passeggeri a bordo, né per l’equipaggio.

[LH2]

Gents,

this event is referenced in this thread over in the Italian forum. It contains essentially the same information as has been described here, apparently by a first-hand witness. News reports in italian television are mentioned and a link link to the Italian AAIB is also provided. All in Italian, of course

Must have been an impressive display of... err... groundmanship??

P.S. Google News Italia also carries some coverage of the event.

rgs
/lh2

[wings1011]

back to question

Going back to my original question regarding systems function of airbus, hopefully without being insulted by waroius persons questioning my profession.During my years in aviation I have had the opportunity to work with lockheed L1011, Douglas MD80, Fokker100, Bae146 and Boeing 737 and 757, all of those have something incommon regarding brake systems. There is NO way any of those would be dispatched under MEL with only one brakesystem operative for revenue flights atleast.Thats the whole thing of aviation safety.Even if both are working but controlled by only one computer ??? if that last computer fails ? disaster ? I would not think so atleast.Thats why I would like to have some better knowlage of the airbus systems

regards

[EGGW]

There are 2 BSCU's on the mini bus family. If they go tits up, then you have the accumulators, which should ALWAYS work, thats the system design. You get about 7 full applications, with the pnf should be monitoring the max application of 1000psi on the gauge, as you have no anti skid.

EGGW

[Sinbad1]

Serious incident in Napoli

to wings1011

There are four braking modes on the airbus, their availability depends on other factors such as the hydraulic system availability, the position of the anti skid switch next to the auto brake selection and the parking brake position on the centre consul.

Before landing,

• Auto braking already selected by the skipper before touch down regulated and controlled by the BSCU the brake sys cont unit which control the anti skid operation as well.Green hydraulic sys must be available

Manual braking uses Green hydraulic ,

• When the crew apply the brakes via the pedal of course, the electrical signals sent to the BSCU as well. Anti skid is available and the Green hydraulic sys must be available.

Parking brake,

• Uses Yellow hydraulic and accumulator pressure.(when Parking brake is used all other brakes become inop elect and hydraulically) and it can be used as an ultimate emergency braking (the A340 500/600 is the same)

Alternate brakes with anti skid it uses Yellow sys,

• comes on when the green hydraulic lost or failure on the normal braking system but anti skid is available.when pressure is applied it can be seen on the gauge.

Alternate brakes with out anti skid uses Accumulator yellow pressure ,

• When anti skid/nose wheel steer switch is OFF or power is failed
• Or Accumulator yellow pressure available only.Pilot have to do the brake balancing pressure to prevent wheel locking.this can be observed on the brake pressure gauge.

So you see, there are many factors as to why the brakes has failed i.e selector valve, wheel rotation signal and air data inertia reference unit inputs are all supplied to the BSCU to compute the braking and the anti skid operation, they are all factor to the cause of failure.

The Master Minimum Equipment List presented by the factory to the operator as the minimum requirement to dispatch the aircraft safely with some systems equipment being INOP, as for the Minimum Equipment List is set by the Airline and usually their requirements are more restrictor to the MMEL.

More info can be found on the FCOM.

I hope the above is helpful and very glad to hear no one was hurt.

Safe flying to all

[F4F]

Another major tragedy averted

If only the accumulator's left, one thinks one would not pump the brakes, will one?

[sidestick driver]

A340/A330 uses blue system for parking brake????? Can be used with out anti-skid and with antiskid (FCOM 3.04.32 ref), and finally parking brake can used in short bursts, set-off-set-off.FCOM 3.02.32 A343/A345
A330 landing gear

From a quick training guide

Braking system
•Carbon disc brakes are standard.
•Normal system (Green hydraulic system supply) :-electrically signalledthrough antiskid valves
-individual wheel antiskid control-autobrake function
- automatic switchover to alternate system in event of Green hydraulic supply failure.
•Alternate braking system with antiskid (Blue hydraulic system supply) :
-electrically signalledthrough alternate servovalves-hydraulically controlled through dual valve
-individual wheel antiskid control-no autobrake function.
•Alternate braking system without anti-skid (Blue hydraulic system supply or Blue brake power
accumulator) :-hydraulically controlled by pedals through dual valve
-brake pressure has to be limited by the pilot referring to the gauges.
-no autobrake function-no antiskid system
•Parking brake (Blue hydraulic system supply or Blue brake power accumulator :
-electricallysignalled-hydraulically controlled with brake pressure indication
on gauges.
•The Braking and Steering Control Unit (BSCU)is digital dual-channel double system (control and monitoring)
computer controlling the following functions :-normal braking system control
-anti-skid control (normal and alternate)-autobrake function with LO, MED, MAX.
-nosewheel steering command processing-brake temperature signal processing
-monitoring of all these functions.
A330 landing gear
Antiskid system
•From touchdown, aircraft speed is computed based on touchdown speed (wheels) and integrated deceleration
(ADIRS). This reference speed is compared with each wheel speed to generate a release order for closing
the normal servovalve in case of skid exceeding 16%.
•Brake pedal orders open this servovalve which is also modulated by anti-skid closing signals.
Autobrake system
•From touchdown, a specific speed is computed based on touchdown speed (wheels) and programmed
deceleration (low, medium, max). This programmed speed is compared with each wheel speed to generate
a release order for closing the normal servovalve to meet selected deceleration.
•If the reference speed exceeds programmed speed (contaminated or iced runways), the former will take
over for the antiskid to modulate the normal servovalveBraking principle

[ZeBedie]

To do the deliberate 180, I think NWS must have been available, probably. But one would expect it to be switched off, after a brake failure.

[bomarc]

murphy's law:

if it can happen, it will happen.

I recall an F100 in the USA that couldn't stop at KORD...max reverse and a 180 on to a taxiway...quick thinking copilot finally turned OFF anti skid and then the brakes worked.

I do hope we hear the whole story on this one.

[jaja]

Having flown the Airbus 320/321 for more than 11 years, total brake failure is not a new thing, sorry to say that !

Some years ago the "Brake dual shuttle valve" was blamed. A new was introduced.
Brake failures still occur, and brake failure procedures are a major subject on each OPC now = Antiskid/NWS SW OFF - alternate braking. Last resort = park brake ON

Interesting to hear what the problem was this time. My guess is that the crew will be blamed for not dealing with a faulty system in a proper way. Where actually Airbus is to be blamed for having designed a "bad" brake system.
Well I should not speculate about this, but wait for the report........

[A4]

Yes we must wait for the report but I don't think blaming Airbus is correct. They have a set procedure for dealing with a brake failure which if followed correctly will recover braking (albeit accumulator only) but the crew need to be on the ball and act promptly. The comment made earlier that they appeared to turn 180° seems to indicate that nosewheel steering was available - which would seem to indicate that the correct procedure had NOT been followed.

The aircraft only has two engines and if one of those stops working the crew are expected to follow the correct procedure..............

Should be an interesting report.

A4

[aeroconejo]

I posted a couple of days ago saying that I had just returned from Naples and that nobody there seemed to know anything about this incident. This has now (understandably) been removed by the mods. Sorry if I appearead to be doubting the story. It would appear that our ground handlers had only just come on shift and had no knowledge of the event.

Was there again earlier today and everyone is talking about it!!

Glad there were no injuries. I will read the report of the investigation with interest when it is published.


aero

[CQ]

20/05/1998 A320 G UKLL Overan the runway 24 night landing IBZ, brake failure, no braking from available from any system, frozen line/valve.

[jaja]

CQ

This was due to a faulty "Brake dual shuttle valve". This has been fixed now for the A320/321 fleet.

[duckbelly]

Any similarities to the LTU A320 that had some kind of brake lock-up at Pafos, Cyprus, last year?? Skid marks still there!