What happened
On November 22, 2000, at approximately 11:00 local time, a Jodel D-140-E (registration EC-BSF) was preparing for an aerial photography mission at Alicante Airport. The crew, consisting of a pilot and a photographer, started the engine and received taxi clearance.
As the aircraft taxied toward the C-6 taxiway holding point, the crew noticed a burning smell and smoke emanating from beneath the left wing. The tower controller also alerted the crew to the presence of smoke. The pilot immediately cut the fuel supply and evacuated the aircraft. While an airport service vehicle attempted to suppress the flames with a handheld extinguisher, the fire spread too rapidly for the individual to approach. Airport firefighters arrived shortly after to extinguish the blaze. Both occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the origin of the fire and the condition of the braking system. An inspection of the wreckage revealed several breaks and missing sections in the hydraulic lines leading to the left main gear brake assembly. While it could not be determined if these breaks occurred prior to the fire, the pilot reported that the left brake failed just before the fire became apparent.
The pilot stated that after releasing the parking brake and applying power, they used the foot brakes to taxi toward the holding point for runway 26. The pilot noted that the taxi speed was normal and that no significant directional deviations occurred. However, upon applying the foot brakes to secure the aircraft at the holding point, the pilot noticed the left brake was non-functional, coinciding with the appearance of smoke and the smell of burning.
Findings
- The fire originated in the left main wheel assembly.
- The investigation determined that the partial locking of the brake system was the primary cause of the incident.
- It is believed that both brakes may have been partially applied due to the parking brake not being fully released, causing both wheels to drag slightly.
- The friction from this continuous braking generated enough heat to ignite the hydraulic fluid.
- A rupture in the hydraulic line allowed the fluid to leak onto the hot brake components, facilitating the rapid spread of the fire.