What happened
During the first takeoff attempt, the pilot observed that the engine was not spooling up normally and subsequently aborted the takeoff using minimal braking to exit the runway. The Raytheon Aircraft was taxied back and cleared for a second takeoff attempt three minutes later. During this second takeoff roll, the pilot noted a warning light and again aborted the takeoff at a speed of 20 to 30 knots.
Following a third taxi back, the aircraft was cleared for takeoff approximately nine minutes later. During the third takeoff roll, at approximately 85 knots, the pilot felt a rumble and heard a pop as the aircraft began drifting to the left. The pilot called for an abort and maintained the aircraft on the runway, eventually entering the overrun area. The tower notified the crew that smoke and fire were visible coming from the left main gear.
There were no injuries reported in this incident.
The investigation
An inspection of the landing gear revealed that the left main landing gear tires had overheated and blew during the third takeoff attempt. The tire blowout severed a hydraulic line on the left main landing gear, causing hydraulic fluid to leak onto the hot brake surface, which then ignited. Additionally, all of the wheels' fusible plugs had blown.
Findings
Investigation into the sequence of events noted that the pilot did not adhere to the required waiting periods specified in the Airplane Flight Manual. The manual requires a 25-minute waiting period after a single rejected takeoff at speeds of 90 knots or less, and a 45-minute waiting period after two or more successive rejected takeoffs. In this instance, the subsequent takeoff attempts were initiated significantly sooner than these safety guidelines permit.