On June 24, 2013, a United Boeing 787 Houston to Denver flight developed an issue with the brakes (or brake indicator) and made an emergency landing. Details about the specific problem were not released.
The flight left Houston at 9.12am and arrived in in Houston at 11:58 a.m.
None of the 219 passengers and 13 crew members sustained any injury. Maintenance examined the plane. The plane was returned to service.
Stranded passengers were provided travel solutions by a Boeing field service representative.
Twenty-one people aboard a Nepal Airlines de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 survived the attempted landing 125 miles NW of Kathmandu.
Everyone aboard survived but everyone was injured. Five of the tourists were seriously injured.
On landing at Jomsom airport at 8:30 a.m., the brakes failed, and the plane skidded to the banks of the Kali Gandaki river. The wheel of the plane slipped off the runway and turned right. The front of the plane was wrecked and in the water. The back appears intact.
Eight passengers were Japanese, and on pilgrimage to Muktinath, a sacred Buddhist site at the foot of the Thorong La Himalayan mountain pass.
The rest of those aboard were Nepali.
An investigation is underway. The accident is currently being attributed to brake failure. Jomsom airport is known as one of the most dangerous on earth.
Mr. Julio Contreras – President of Allen Air Club was flying a Piper PA-11 Cub Special on May 10, 2013 and on landing at the Aeropuerto Arturo Humbert in Argentina, the plane flipped–a wheels up landing.
Volunteer firemen, police, airport staff and members of the aeroclub responded to the scene.
The cause of the accident is being attributed to excessive braking. Local news in Argentina is calling it just a scare. The pilot suffered a bump on the forehead, but is otherwise okay. He told reporters “IT WAS A BAD LANDING, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS TO EVERYONE WHO FLIES. I ADMIT THAT WAS MY MISTAKE AND DO NOT REALLY KNOW IF SMUG, WANTING TO PLAY SHORT, I TOUCHED THE BRAKES A LITTLE MORE. THIS IS AN AIRCRAFT THAT HAS A TRAIN CONVENTIONAL WHEELS THAT ARE MORE LIBERATED LATER, STOPPED AND TURNED VERY SLOW. BUT I’M FINE, BUT WITH A BIG RAGE AND PAIN OF THE SOUL BECAUSE BREAKING A PLANE IS LIKE THAT YOU DAMAGE A CHILD … AND ANGER COMPARED TO SOMEONE WHO KICKS A PENALTY AND MISSES. IT WAS A VERY SIMPLE BEAT, CAME TO REFUEL AND BRAKED MORE, IS AN AIRCRAFT THAT HAS THE BRAKES VERY JEALOUS, MAYBE A LITTLE SMUG I WANT TO LAND SHORT, I WAS WRONG. THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO US HUMANS, WE WERE WRONG” (machine translation.)
On January 9, 2013. an All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Ube Yamaguchi Japan was taxiing for takeoff to Tokyo when the plane developed brake problems. This was Boeing’s third Dreamliner incident in three days.
In the cockpit of the All Nippon Airways 787, an error message indicated brake parts in the left undercarriage needed attention.
The 98 passengers aboard the plane disembarked and were provided alternative transportation to Tokyo.
All three events appear to be from different routine situations rather than stemming from a single issue. The brake issue and fuel spill are routine events, not on par with the lithium battery fire at Logan Airport, which is a problem which requires serious investigation.
What: US Airways Flight 3786 CRJ-200 en route from Philadelphia to Buffalo Where: Buffalo-Niagara International Airport When: Dec 13, 2012 9:50 pm Who: 53 passengers Why: The commuter plane made an emergency landing at Buffalo Niagara International Airport after reporting brake problems.
THe CRJ-200 circled the airport for half an hour burning off fuel before making an emergency landing.
Passengers disembarked at the terminal. No injuries were reported.
What: United Boeing 767-300 en route from London to Chicago Where: Heathrow When: Aug 27 2012 Why: While en route, the jet developed engine problems. The engine was shut down, and the flight returned to London where pilots made a fast landing.
Travel.aol.co.uk and www.dailymail.co.uk reported that “Chicago-bound plane had to be sprayed with water by firemen to cool the engine” but we tend to believe the fast landing/hot brakes angle. (Thank you Anonymous)
What: Air Cargo Carrier Shorts SD-360 en route from Tupelo to Houston Where: Houston When: May 17th 2012 Who: 2 crew Why: After the Air Cargo Carrier landed at Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport, it caught on fire. Aviation Herald claims the cause of the fire was “brakes of the right main gear.”
Emergency services responded.
We haven’t heard if the plane made a hard or fast landing, Houston temps, or if there was some mechanical problem like a lock-up that caused the fire.
What: Silkair Airbus A319-100 en route from Singapore to Solo Indonesia Where: Solo When: Mar 6th 2012 Who: 124 passengers and 7 crew Why: On landing at Solo, the plane touched down with the left main gear afire.
Passengers evacuated by way of emergency slides. There were no injuries reported.
The cause of the gear fire is under investigation although SilkAir says the smoke originated in overheated breaks and that there was no fire.
What: Hendrick Gulfstream G150 en route to Key West Where: Key West When: Nov 1, 2011 7:58 Who: Rick and Laura Hendric, pilot and copilot Why: On landing in Key West, the plane had no brakes and skidded off the safety area. Those on board had minor injuries and were taken to Lower Keys Medical Center. Rick Hendrick suffered a broken rib and shoulder.
The NTSB is investigating.
We doublechecked this news item, to make certain it was not a reposting of the 2004 crash that tragically took the lives of ten of the Hendrick team and family.
What: JetBlue A320 en route from Salt Lake City to Long Beach Where: Long Beach Municipal Airport When: Aug 5th 2011 Who: 147 passengers, 5 crew Why: On approach to Long Beach, the crew saw a hydraulics/ brake problem and aborted their first approach; instead of landing they burned off fuel, then made a safe landing (with an undescended wheel).
What: American Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Dallas to Sao Paolo, Brazil Where: Dallas When: July 31, 2011 Who: 264 passengers, 14 crew Why: Indicators convinced the pilots of Flight 963 that an engine caught on fire. The pilots returned to Dallas and landed the 777 safely. The brakes locked up and a tire blew out, but that kind of thing is not unusual for an overweight landing.
Onlookers saw the flight dumping fuel, described as fuel streaming from its jets. If they were alarmed, just think how the passengers felt.
In George’s Point of View
At least they survived. For what they put the passengers through, what will the airline operator do? Will they hand out to the passengers a free drink voucher? A hundred dollar voucher for future use?
I want to know.
What: Emirates Boeing 777-20 en route from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Houston Where: Dubai When: Jun 8 2011 Why: During takeoff from Dubai, the left and right nose gear tire burst. (For whatever reason, the first tire burst, the second probably burst due to the increased weight.)
The plane rejected takeoff, and came to rest on the runway with overheated brakes that were handled by emergency services. The plane was towed off the runway, and passengers were provided an alternative flight.
First electrically actuated braking system on a commercial aircraft
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 3, 2011 — Goodrich Corporation’s electric brake system for the 787 Dreamliner has completed all required dedicated flight test conditions. The achievement follows a comprehensive development and qualification program involving multiple Goodrich business units and close collaboration with Boeing.
The braking system incorporates the latest iteration of Goodrich’s proprietary DURACARB(R) carbon heat sink material which provides exceptional brake performance and up to 35% better brake life than competing carbon friction materials. Required test conditions included extensive on-aircraft testing of the wheels and electric brake hardware as well as validation of the proprietary software incorporated in the electric brake actuator controllers. Max brake energy testing was completed at Edwards Air Force Base.
Brian Brandewie, president of Goodrich’s Aircraft Wheels and Brakes business said, “We anticipated demand for an alternative to traditional, hydraulically actuated braking, and began the pursuit of electrically actuated braking technology more than 15 years ago. The 787 system represents our sixth generation of electric brakes. Goodrich is again honored to be part of aviation history by being a supplier for the world’s first electric brake system on a commercial airplane. We look forward to working with Boeing and the launch customer airlines to ensure a successful entry into service.”
The majority of announced 787 customers have selected the Goodrich electric brake system.
All Nippon Airlines is the airplane’s launch customer.
What: Delta en route from Detroit Where: Salt Lake City When: Jan 12, 2010 Who: 144 passengers Why: While en route from Detroit, the Delta A320 made an emergency landing in Salt Lake City Utah. Braking and steering were affected, though details have not been released to the media.
What: Aegean Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Athens to Milan Where: Milan When: Nov 10th 2010 Who: 108 passengers, 6 crew Why: On touchdown in Milan, the plane generated a brake fault message. The return flight was cancelled, and the plane was pulled from service briefly for repairs.
What: Air India Airbus A310-300 en route from Thiruvananthapuram India to Dammam Saudi Arabia Where: Thiruvananthapuram When: Nov 10th 2010 Who: 82 passengers including 2 infants Why: After takeoff, the flight developed problems with a landing gear. The pilot burned off fuel, and made a hard but safe landing, but the brakes jammed. The disabled plane had to be towed, tying up the runway for several hours.
The plane was grounded after the emergency landing. Passengers were accommodated on other flights or sent to local hotels.
What: Sita Air Dornier 228 en route from
Kathmandu to Lukla Where: Lukla, Nepal When: Oct 12 2010 Who: 11 passengers, 3 crew Why: On landing at Lukla, the brakes failed, and the plane overran the (527 meter) short inclined runway and struck a wall at the end.
No injuries were reported, although the plane incurred nose damage.
What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from New York to Madrid Where: Madrid When: Aug 31 2010 6.58 a.m. Why: Prior to arriving in Madrid, the plane indicated problems with the braking system. The pilot “raised the alert” so that emergency crews were on standby. However, flight 94 landed safely. (No indication yet on what the brake problem was.)
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from Long Beach,CA to Sacramento,CA Where: Sacramento When: Aug 26th 2010 Who: 86 passengers and 5 crew Why: On making a “hard” landing at the Sacramento airport, a brake problem developed (brakes locked?).
The main gear tires blew, and caught afire. Emergency services on hand responded to the fire.
What: LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Warsaw to Chicago Where: Chicago When: Jul 17th 2010 Why: The flight made a safe landing in Chicago. However, after landing, the left brakes and tires were smoking and on fire. The captain told passengers that the brakes had fractured and caused damage to the hydraulic lines leading to the fire.
Emergency services put out the fire while on the runway–it is not mentioned if passengers disembarked, before, during or after emergency services were deployed.
Although the left tire and brake were replaced, on return to Warsaw on the 18th, the same plane suffered another brake fire on landing.
George’s Point of View
I know I’m being a back seat driver again, because it’s impossible to know from my armchair in California what’s happening on the ground in Chicago and Warsaw, but it seems to me that there is obviously something going on.
Either the wrong brakes were replaced, or the brakes were not replaced, or the pilot consistently lands too fast, or the wrong (i.e. flammable) grease lubricating the brakes caught fire, or the thrust reverser is flawed or something else is going on that caused the brake fire to repeat on the return flight. Let’s hope LOT’s home base in Warsaw will get to the bottom of it before the plane has to land on a tabletop runway like Mangalore, or an unsurfaced runway like TAM Airlines Flight 3054 at Congonhas-São Paulo International Airport.
What: Qantas Airbus A380-800 en route from Singapore to Sydney Where: Sydney When: Mar 31st 2010 Who: 244 passengers Why: On landing, the plane blew its left tires; and there were sparks and and a brief fire from the brakes. The plane left a rubber trail. Damage assessment was made on the tarmac by engineers, with the plane sitting on its rims.
Qantas denies classifying this as an “emergency” landing.
George’s Point of View
I’m thinking how smart Boeing is to have held up release of their big jumbo, especially when I see A 380 incidents.
I am reminded of all the flaws that popped in the Airbus A310 (reputedly a rush copy of the Boeing 737); and I also remember reading about Airbus struggling to get the A-380 shipshape before Airbus rushed it to market. In development, Airbus wrestled with a plane that was severely overweight, withstructural, and production problems. Remember the trouble the A-380 had getting launched:
On Dec 4 2009, QANTAS Airbus A380-842 (VH-OQA) Singapore to London- On the runway, the plane’s nose gear became unsteereable. The plane was towed to the gate and spare parts had to be flown in to deal with the problem.
On July 4 2009, Qantas Airbus A380-842 (VH-OQA) Singapore to London- the approach was aborted due to nosegear problems. On landing, steering failed.
In March of 2008, Qantas removed all 3 of its A-380s due to fuel system problems (two unserviceable with a ‘”fuel tank indication system problem”.)
The A380 is a part of the Air France, Emirates, Qantas and Singapore airlines fleets , and in which fuel gauge problems, nosegear problems and braking problems are becoming known issues. Problems also arise because the prohibitive size of the plane limits where it can land.
Some Worrisome Airbus History
In 2004, Joseph Mangan, an Airbus whistleblower told European aviation authorities of flaws on a computer chip on the Airbus A380. (These were microprocessor flaws that could cause the valves that maintain cabin pressure on the A380 to accidentally open during flight, allowing air to leak out so rapidly that everyone aboard could lose consciousness within seconds.)
Mangan was chief engineer for the Viennese company TTTech Computertechnik, which supplied the chips and software controlling the A380 cabin-pressurization system assembled at the French Airbus plant. TTTech fired Mangan, filed civil and criminal charges against him for revealing proprietary company documents. Austrian law has no whistleblower protection, and there is currently a gag order imposed on Mangan. They claim his allegations have been disproved.
What did he know? Have the problems behind his concerns been addressed? What elsedo we not know? Without transparency, how can we ever know?
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from San José Costa Rica to Newark,NJ Where: Juan Santamaría When: Dec 29th 2009 Who: 107 passengers and 5 crew Why: Near the Nicaraguan border, when pilots detected a brake problem, they returned to the airport. Emergency response team was made up of 12 Red Cross units and four firefighting units.
After two hours of maintenance, the plane was back in the air.
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What: SA Airlink Avro RJ-85 en route from Johannesburg to Nelspruit Krueger (South Africa) Where: on approach to the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport When: Nov 8th 2009 Who: 26 passengers from Malta, Britain, Tanzania and Switzerland Why: On approach, the brake hydraulics failed. The landing was aborted, and the flight was redirected back to OR Tambo by ATC. The plane made a “soft landing” however.
What: Air Astana Airbus A319-100 en route from Almaty to Pavlodar Kasakhstan Where: Astana Kasakhstan When: Aug 1st 2009 Who: 72 passengers and 7 crew Why: The Air Astana Airbus declared an emergency when they discovered an (unspecified) brake problem. The flight diverted to Astana and made a safe landing.
An American Eagle jet, en-route from Midland to Dallas-Fort Worth, had to make an unscheduled in Abilene, Texas, on October 14.
