What happened
Prior to the flight, the previous crew had reported that an overheat light illuminated during landing because the brake temperature reached 650 degrees. This event was recorded in the maintenance logbook, and after an inspection by maintenance personnel, the aircraft was returned to service.
The subsequent flight leg proceeded without incident until the aircraft landed and exited the runway. Upon turning off the runway, the crew observed that the brake temperature was increasing rapidly. As the aircraft moved into the ramp area, the brake temperature warning light illuminated. The first officer contacted tower personnel to inquire if smoke was visible from the left wheel well; the tower reported no smoke. Following a request for the fire department to respond, the crew was instructed to stop short of the aircraft gate.
Shortly after stopping, the fuse plugs on both left tires melted, causing the brakes to catch fire. Because the brake temperature gauge had failed, the crew was unaware that a fire was occurring. The fire department arrived and extinguished the flames. Upon arrival, responders did not immediately notify the crew of a fire, but instead reported that the brake temperature had reached as high as 1200 degrees Celsius before cooling to below 200 degrees Celsius.
The investigation
Post-incident inspection revealed that in addition to the melted fuse plugs and deflated tires, the paint on the left main landing gear was charred and blistered. The landing gear was subsequently replaced. Investigations into the brake fluid and the dual anti-skid control modules revealed no anomalies.