What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Thursday, feb 4, 2016, at approximately 0645 key lime air flight 1647 taxiing at Denver International Airport with deferred nose wheel steering (NWS), experienced dual main gear brake fires. The aircraft involved was N2728G, a SA-227AC metroliner. The NWS had been deferred the night before after a positioning flight from centennial airport (apa), englewood, CO. The reported weather at 0700 was winds 220 at 16 knots mostly clear skies and temp -8C.
The single pilot aircraft was taxiing to runway 8 via taxiway m when the pilot reported a left main gear fire to air traffic control (ATC). He subsequently departed the taxiway to the east into the snowy infield between taxiway M10 and ed.
Interviews with pilots and mechanics disclosed the following. The incident pilot was using the brakes to control the direction and speed of the aircraft. He learned that the left brake was on fire from the company pilot of the aircraft following him on the taxiway. The incident pilot then turned the aircraft toward the snowy infield so it would not roll after shutting down the engines with failed brakes.
After feathering both engines he exited the aircraft with a fire extinguisher, put out the left gear brake fire, then moved to the right gear where that brake was also on fire. By then the left brake fire had reignited (as did the right gear). He moved back to the left to fight that fire, only to have the inboard main tire explode. He commented that the tires always explode to the side so he had been careful to stand in front of the gear for protection. Denver fire/rescue put the fires out.
The incident pilot filed an asap report which was accepted and corrective action addressed in that program. The director of operations (do) opined taxing with the nsw deferred should not have been a difficult operation. The do also stated he had not yet been able to determine if the incident pilot had been trained in taxing with the NWS deferred.
Examination of aircraft maintenance and procedures provided no indication of an airworthiness issue.
The event continues to be addressed in asap.
As the FAA filed it
ON THURSDAY, FEB 4, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 0645 KEY LIME AIR FLIGHT 1647 TAXIING AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH DEFERRED NOSE WHEEL STEERING (NWS), EXPERIENCED DUAL MAIN GEAR BRAKE FIRES. THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED WAS N2728G, A SA-227AC METROLINER. THE NWS HAD BEEN DEFERRED THE NIGHT BEFORE AFTER A POSITIONING FLIGHT FROM CENTENNIAL AIRPORT (APA), ENGLEWOOD, CO. THE REPORTED WEATHER AT 0700 WAS WINDS 220 AT 16 KNOTS MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND TEMP -8C.
THE SINGLE PILOT AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING TO RUNWAY 8 VIA TAXIWAY M WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A LEFT MAIN GEAR FIRE TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC). HE SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED THE TAXIWAY TO THE EAST INTO THE SNOWY INFIELD BETWEEN TAXIWAY M10 AND ED.
INTERVIEWS WITH PILOTS AND MECHANICS DISCLOSED THE FOLLOWING. THE INCIDENT PILOT WAS USING THE BRAKES TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION AND SPEED OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE LEARNED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE WAS ON FIRE FROM THE COMPANY PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING HIM ON THE TAXIWAY. THE INCIDENT PILOT THEN TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD THE SNOWY INFIELD SO IT WOULD NOT ROLL AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINES WITH FAILED BRAKES.
AFTER FEATHERING BOTH ENGINES HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, PUT OUT THE LEFT GEAR BRAKE FIRE, THEN MOVED TO THE RIGHT GEAR WHERE THAT BRAKE WAS ALSO ON FIRE. BY THEN THE LEFT BRAKE FIRE HAD REIGNITED (AS DID THE RIGHT GEAR). HE MOVED BACK TO THE LEFT TO FIGHT THAT FIRE, ONLY TO HAVE THE INBOARD MAIN TIRE EXPLODE. HE COMMENTED THAT THE TIRES ALWAYS EXPLODE TO THE SIDE SO HE HAD BEEN CAREFUL TO STAND IN FRONT OF THE GEAR FOR PROTECTION. DENVER FIRE/RESCUE PUT THE FIRES OUT.
THE INCIDENT PILOT FILED AN ASAP REPORT WHICH WAS ACCEPTED AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ADDRESSED IN THAT PROGRAM. THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS (DO) OPINED TAXING WITH THE NSW DEFERRED SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A DIFFICULT OPERATION. THE DO ALSO STATED HE HAD NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE INCIDENT PILOT HAD BEEN TRAINED IN TAXING WITH THE NWS DEFERRED.
EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE AND PROCEDURES PROVIDED NO INDICATION OF AN AIRWORTHINESS ISSUE.
THE EVENT CONTINUES TO BE ADDRESSED IN ASAP.
Other reports on N2728G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.