What happened
On August 21, 2007, an Airbus A-310/304, registration CS-TGV, operated by SATA Internacional, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Toronto (CYYZ) to Lisbon (LPX) with a stopover in Ponta Delgada (LPPD), Azores. The flight departed Toronto with 195 passengers and 9 crew members.
During the takeoff roll in Toronto, a section of the tread from the #2 main gear tire separated from the carcass. The debris was left on the runway in Canada. Upon landing at Ponta Delgada at approximately 06:48 UTC, the aircraft taxied to parking position W2. After the engines were shut down, flames were observed emanating from the left main gear #2 wheel assembly.
While crew members from a nearby aircraft attempted to respond with portable extinguishers, a ramp worker using a mobile stair unit quickly extinguished the fire using a portable extinguisher from the vehicle. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained no significant damage.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the flight data from the Quick Access Recorder (QAR), the aircraft's maintenance history, and the physical condition of the landing gear. Investigators recovered the tire debris from the Toronto runway through coordination with Canadian authorities. The debris was sent to Michelin for analysis.
Technical inspections of the #2 wheel assembly in Ponta Delgada revealed that while the tire carcass was frayed and flammable, the fire was specifically caused by rubber fragments from the separated tread being lodged against the brake discs. These fragments ignited as the brake temperatures increased during the landing and taxiing phase.
Findings
- The fire was caused by the ignition of rubber debris that had been projected against the #2 main wheel brake assembly during the initial takeoff run.
- The separation of the tire tread occurred during the takeoff roll in Toronto, but the crew did not perceive any malfunction or abnormal vibration during the flight.
- Brake temperatures on the left side increased during taxiing due to the asymmetrical braking required to maintain the centerline, providing sufficient heat to ignite the trapped rubber fragments.
- Although larger capacity fire extinguishers were available on the ramp, ground personnel did not utilize them during the incident.
Safety action
- An observation was sent to the ground handling provider, emphasizing the need for increased awareness regarding ramp emergencies and the development of immediate response procedures for ground personnel prior to the arrival of emergency services.