What happened
Approximately 25 minutes after landing, Flight 168 was cleared for takeoff on Runway 30 at Washington Dulles International Airport. About one minute into the roll, the crew initiated an aborted takeoff because the number two engine's EPR gauge appeared slow to spool up. After taxiing back and running up the engines, the flight attempted a second takeoff. Flight data recorder readouts indicate the aircraft reached 103 knots before the captain aborted the takeoff again.
During the taxi back to the gate, where the crew intended to have the EPR gauge repaired, the pilot noticed the aircraft dragging to the right. The plane was stopped, and the tower was notified that a mobile lounge was needed on Taxiway N1 to offload passengers. About 40 minutes later, the lounge arrived and observed a fire developing in the right main wheel area. The aircraft was evacuated using both chutes on the left side, and the fire was extinguished immediately upon the arrival of airport fire trucks.
The investigation
Flight data recorder readouts indicated less than normal braking during the preceding landing and first aborted takeoff. These findings suggest potential issues with brake performance or application during the initial phases of the incident sequence.