What happened
On August 10, 2018, a commercial flight arriving from Jujuy, operating as flight OY-855, landed at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires. After completing its landing roll on runway 13 and exiting via taxiway number 1, the McDouglas MD-83, registration LV-BEG, experienced a sudden malfunction. As the crew attempted to turn left, the brake on the outer wheel of the left main landing gear locked, causing the aircraft to come to an abrupt halt on the taxiway.
The incident resulted in no injuries to the crew or the passengers. While the aircraft and passengers were evacuated via standard procedures, the proximity of the disabled aircraft to the active runway necessitated a temporary suspension of all airport operations. Traffic resumed only after the aircraft was successfully moved from its position.
The investigation
Investigators from the JIAAC examined the brake assembly of the left main landing gear. Upon disassembling the brake unit, technicians discovered that a temperature deflector from the brake package had detached and become lodged between two of the brake discs.
To rule out external factors, the investigation included a review of the airport's runway inspection records. These records showed no evidence of foreign object debris (FOD) on the runway that could have caused the damage. Furthermore, the operator provided maintenance logs confirming that the brake system's components had been inspected and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements.
Findings
- The primary cause of the brake lock was the detachment of a temperature deflector within the brake assembly.
- It is suspected that the component may have been dislodged by vibrations occurring during taxi, takeoff, or landing operations, or potentially through abnormal contact with the runway surface, though no definitive evidence could confirm the exact trigger.
- The incident was classified as a service difficulty requiring corrective maintenance rather than a systemic failure in maintenance procedures.