What happened
While taxiing to the runway, the flight crew noticed a vibration within the aircraft. Believing the tires might be underinflated, the crew stopped to inspect them. Finding no obvious issues, they proceeded with takeoff.
Shortly after departing, a fire erupted in the left main gear wheelwell. The pilot performed an emergency return to the airport and landed the aircraft safely; there were no injuries reported. Despite the safe landing, the aircraft sustained extensive damage to the left wing and the aileron control system.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the braking system revealed that a thermal insulator in the piston bore had become cocked. Evidence indicated that the brakes were worn and had been dragging, which led to overheating. It was also determined that the tires had exploded prior to the onset of the fire.
Investigators found that the fire originated near the brakes. An aluminum fitting, used as part of the hydraulic brake system on the steel brake housing, was noted as having been installed, though it could not be located following the fire. Additionally, the crew admitted to delaying the extension of the landing gear, which was a deviation from the established checklist requirement for when the wing and wheelwell overheat lights are illuminated.