Incident Overview

Date: Sunday 18 October 1987
Aircraft Type: Airbus A300B4-203
Owner/operator: Australian Airlines
Registration Number: VH-TAC
Location: Melbourne Int Airport, VIC – ÿ Australia
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Minor
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 252
Component Affected: Left Main Gear Brake SystemLeft Main Gear Brake System
Investigating Agency: BASIBASI
Category: Accident
An aircraft experienced a fire in the left main gear due to a short circuit in a solenoid controlling the brakes. The pilot ordered an evacuation due to the fire, resulting in injuries from the escape slides. Investigation revealed a faulty solenoid caused the brakes to continuously apply, leading to brake disc disintegration and fire damage to the tyre and wheel rim.An aircraft experienced a fire in the left main gear due to a short circuit in a solenoid controlling the brakes. The pilot ordered an evacuation due to the fire, resulting in injuries from the escape slides. Investigation revealed a faulty solenoid caused the brakes to continuously apply, leading to brake disc disintegration and fire damage to the tyre and wheel rim.

Description

As the aircraft was nearing the end of the landing roll, the Tower Controller observed smoke briefly issuing from one of the wheel assemblies. The crew was alerted, and reported that a hot brake temperature warning was indicated on the flight deck. The smoke had not persisted, and the pilot in command elected to continue taxiing to the terminal area, in order to allow a normal disembarkation of the passengers. He requested the Tower to monitor the situation. The Airport fire services were summoned and followed the aircraft. Another Tower Controller then reported that fire had broken out in the left main gear. The aircraft was halted and the pilot in command ordered an evacuation. The evacuation proceeded smoothly, but injuries resulted from the use of the escape slides. The fire crews rapidly extinguished the fire and assisted with the evacuation process. Investigation revealed that an electrical short circuit had occurred in a solenoid in the anti-skid system which controls the brakes on one of the left main wheels. This led to the brakes on the affected wheel being applied continuously. The resulting overheating in turn led to the eventual disintegration of the brake disc and pads, and the outer covering of an hydraulic line caught fire. Considerable overheating of the tyre and wheel rim also took place. The crew had no direct communication with the fire crews on site, and were unaware of the extent of the fire. This had left the pilot in command with no alternative but to order the evacuation of the aircraft.

Source of Information

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1987/aair/aair198701446/, https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/27536/aair198701446.pdfhttps://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1987/aair/aair198701446/, https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/27536/aair198701446.pdf

Primary Cause

Electrical short circuit in a solenoid controlling the brakes on one of the left main wheels.Electrical short circuit in a solenoid controlling the brakes on one of the left main wheels.

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