What happened
On June 15, 2016, an Embraer ERJ-175 operated by PLL LOT SA was taxiing to its parking stand at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA). Approximately three minutes after the aircraft had come to a complete stop and been secured, the flight coordinator observed smoke emanating from the right main landing gear.
Upon noticing the smoke, ground handling operations were immediately suspended. The aircraft captain was notified and subsequently summoned the airport fire service to attend to the scene. During the initial inspection, the flight crew did not observe any indications of overheated brakes or other system irregularities.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator, focused on the source of the visible smoke. Upon closer examination of the right main landing gear, investigators identified an intense leak of brake fluid. It was determined that the smoke initially perceived by the coordinator was actually the result of brake fluid evaporating upon contact with the hot brake discs.
Findings
- The incident was caused by a failure of a brake system line on the right main landing gear.
- The leaking fluid caused visible evaporation, which was misidentified as smoke.
- The spilled fluid on the apron was successfully neutralized by ground crews.