B767 flight crew reports carbon brake disk failure which is discovered by maintenance during post flight inspection. Reporter indicates this may be a frequent occurrence that could be difficult to detect.

Date: 2010-03 · Aircraft: B767-300 and 300 ER · Phase: ground

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical

Synopsis

B767 flight crew reports carbon brake disk failure which is discovered by maintenance during post flight inspection. Reporter indicates this may be a frequent occurrence that could be difficult to detect.

Narrative

Number three brake disk found shattered during Mechanic's post flight inspection. Landing and deceleration were normal. Number three brake wear pins were protruding 1/4 inch with the brakes parked. Note this is the third such failure discovered by maintenance at this airport. The others may have been a result of the cockpit crews' entry of a braking problem in the logbook on arrival. The frequency that has been experienced here is more than coincidental. I suspect that the new carbon brakes fail at a point well above the minimum approved service limits of the wear indicator pins being just beyond flush. The carbon disk may have an adverse harmonic reaction to brake chatter as the mass changes through wear; or it may be another problem; however common to this braking system. I would recommend a fleet wide inspection on overnights. Of significant note is that the brake and associated wear pins would look serviceable based on current flight crew preflight inspection procedures. Only a more detailed inspection with illumination would reveal this problem. Also significant is the hazard to a heavy aircraft aborting a takeoff with measurably reduced braking available due to this failure mode.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.