What happened
On August 24, 2008, at approximately 19:54 local time, an ATR 72-212A was taxiing at Munich Airport. The aircraft had been cleared to taxi to runway 26L, shortly after an Airbus A320 had commenced its takeoff roll on the same runway. After receiving takeoff clearance, the crew was instructed by the tower to abort the takeoff and vacate the runway.
As the aircraft proceeded to taxiway B14, the crew noticed an indication of high brake temperature. Shortly thereafter, another aircraft reported via radio that the ATR 72 was on fire, specifically noting that the left tire was ablaze. An alarm was subsequently triggered, prompting the emergency evacuation of the 59 passengers and four crew members. During the evacuation, one passenger sustained a broken forearm. The airport fire services arrived and extinguished the fire, which had spread from the tire to the landing gear fairings.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the origin of the fire and the mechanical state of the braking system. Investigators examined the left main landing gear and found that one brake cylinder on the inner wheel had cracked, while two other cylinders were deformed.
A thermal analysis conducted by the component manufacturer, under the supervision of the French BEA, determined that the damage was caused by overheating. Crucially, the investigation established that the sequence of events—including the initial taxi, the aborted takeoff, and the subsequent taxiing to the holding point—did not generate enough heat to cause such extensive damage to the brake cylinders.
Findings
- The fire originated in the inner tire of the left main landing gear and spread to the outer tire and the surrounding landing gear fairings.
- The primary cause of the mechanical failure was overheating of the brake components, though the specific source of the excessive heat prior to the takeoff attempt was not attributed to the recorded taxiing maneuvers.