What happened
On October 24, 2020, an Embraer EMB-145LR, registration N674RJ, operating as American/Envoy Flight 4194, landed at Grand Bahama International Airport following a scheduled flight from Miami. The aircraft was carrying twenty-five passengers and three crew members.
Immediately after touchdown on runway 06, the flight crew experienced uncommanded braking. Despite efforts to maintain the centerline, the aircraft veered to the right, eventually exiting the runway approximately 3,715 feet from the threshold. During the excursion, the left main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft came to a stop roughly 15 feet from the right edge of the runway, sustaining substantial damage to the nose, left wing, and the underside of the fuselage.
While there were nine minor injuries among the passengers and crew, all occupants were evacuated safely.
The investigation
The investigation focused on identifying the source of the sudden braking action. Investigators examined the Brake Control Unit (BCU), the emergency parking brake handle and cable, the emergency parking brake pressure switch, and the parking brake valve.
Testing of the BCU and the pressure switch yielded no irregularities, and flight data showed no visual or aural warnings of a system malfunction. The emergency parking brake handle and cable were found to be fully functional. While the parking brake valve exhibited a slight internal leakage during testing, experts from the manufacturer determined this would not have caused the braking performance observed during the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft was airworthy and properly maintained at the time of departure.
- The flight crew experienced sudden, heavy braking immediately upon landing.
- The weather conditions were within visual meteorological limits and did not contribute to the event.
- The cause of the heavy braking action remains undetermined, as the phenomenon could not be replicated during component testing.