Incident Summary
During the taxi to the runway, the flight crew noted a vibration in the airplane and stopped to check the tires, suspecting they were underinflated. No obvious problem was seen, and they elected to continue with the takeoff. Shortly after takeoff, a fire erupted in the left main gear wheelwell. The pilot returned to the airport and landed safely. However, the airplane sustained extensive damage to the left wing and aileron control system.
Examination Findings
Examination of the brakes revealed a cocked thermal insulator in the piston bore. There was evidence that the brakes were worn, had been dragging, and subsequently overheated. The tires had exploded prior to the fire. The fire damage indicated that the fire had started near the brakes. An aluminum fitting was used as part of the hydraulic brake system on the steel brake housing. The examination indicated that the fitting had been installed but could not be found after the fire.
Operational Details
The crew reported that they delayed lowering the gear, contradicting the checklist requirement when the wheelwell and wing overheat light is on.