What happened
On September 27, 2007, a Bombardier BD700 aircraft, registration N998AM, operated by Select Aviation Corp., was performing a landing at Kaohsiung International Airport. The flight was operating under Title 14, CFR Part 91 regulations.
During the landing roll, the pilot flying (PF) and the pilot monitoring (PM) noted a pulsation in the braking system. The aircraft's EICAS displayed a differential brake pressure warning. As the aircraft decelerated, the crew attempted to manage the braking, but the aircraft failed to maintain its centerline. The aircraft eventually exited the runway, resulting in a runway excursion.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's flight data, including the Solid-State Flight Data Recorder (SSFDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). The analysis focused on the braking system performance, specifically the interaction between the autobrake system and the manual braking inputs. The investigation also reviewed the maintenance history of the braking components and the operational procedures used by the crew during the landing phase.
Findings
- The investigation established that the aircraft experienced differential brake pressure during the landing roll.
- The crew noted a pulsation in the brakes, which was accompanied by an EICAS warning regarding brake pressure imbalance.
- There was an indication that the autobrake function may have been interrupted or disconnected during the deceleration process.
- The aircraft's deceleration was insufficient to maintain the runway centerline, leading to the excursion.