What happened
On 5 February 2017, an Air Canada Airbus A330-343 was preparing for a commercial passenger flight from Brussels Airport (EBBR) to Montreal. After arriving from Montreal earlier that morning, the aircraft was cleared to line up on Runway 07R. Due to the uphill terrain at the lineup position, the crew utilized an Xwind takeoff procedure, which involved applying a specific amount of power while maintaining brake pressure.
As the aircraft accelerated, the captain called out a speed of 60 KCAS. Shortly before reaching 100 KCAS, a loud bang was heard, followed immediately by a "brake release" ECAM warning. The captain initiated an aborted takeoff. During the deceleration, the crew attempted to use thrust reversers, but the right-hand reverser failed to deploy. The aircraft eventually came to a halt at taxiway intersection C1.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and debris field left by the aircraft. The investigation established that the forward right wheel of the right-hand main landing gear had completely detached, leaving only the axle and the brake assembly. A portion of the wheel rim remained attached, while other fragments were scattered across the airfield.
Debris, including small components from the bearing, was located on Runway 07R from the start of the runway up to position H. Larger fragments, including a half-section of a wheel rim, were found between intersections C3 and C2. The tire itself was recovered nearly intact from the grass adjacent to runway 01. Additionally, the investigation found that hydraulic lines had been severed, resulting in fluid leaks.
Findings
- The failure of the outboard roller bearing of wheel #4 was the direct cause of the incident.
- The separation of the wheel assembly led to the loss of the forward right wheel and the destruction of hydraulic lines.
- There were no injuries to the crew or passengers during the event.