What happened
On August 17, 2021, at approximately 06:27 UTC, an Airbus A320-214, registered as HB-JJL, was performing a commercial flight from Zurich Airport (LSZH) to Heraklion (LGIR). During the takeoff roll on runway 28, the flight crew initiated a rejected takeoff once the aircraft reached a speed of roughly 80 knots. This decision was prompted by a warning related to the parking brake system.
During the deceleration process, the wheels of the main landing gear became locked. This mechanical lock resulted in significant damage to the main landing gear tires. There were no injuries reported among the crew or the 140 passengers on board, and no third parties were involved in the incident.
The investigation
The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SUST) conducted an inquiry into the sequence of events leading to the tire damage. The investigation focused on the operational transition from the takeoff roll to the aborted takeoff and the specific behavior of the braking systems during the high-speed deceleration.