# NTSB DEN06IA083: McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30, N907DA, Denver, CO, June 10, 2006 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: June 9, 2006, 18:06 local (Jun 10, 2006, 00:06 UTC) - Place: Denver, CO - Coordinates: 39.851665, -104.666664 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8517&lon=-104.6667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 154 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 63904 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN06IA083 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63904/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN06IA083 ## Probable cause a brake fire for reasons undetermined. A contributing factor was the inadequate inspection by the maintenance crew. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - roll - landing gear,brake temperature system - activated - landing gear,tire - deflated - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, company maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - landing gear,normal brake system - fire ## Analysis The flight crew had been advised by the previous crew that the overheat light had illuminated on landing when the brake temperature reached 650 degrees, and an entry had been made in the maintenance logbook accordingly. Maintenance personnel inspected the brakes and returned the airplane to service. The next leg was uneventful until the airplane landed and turned off the runway. The crew noticed the brake temperature was climbing rapidly. As the airplane entered the ramp area, the brake temperature warning light illuminated. The first officer asked tower personnel if there was any smoke coming out of the left wheel well. They replied, "Negative." She requested the fire department to respond and was instructed to stop short of the gate. Shortly thereafter, the fuse plugs melted on both left tires and the brakes caught fire. The brake temperature gauge failed and the crew was unaware of the brake fire. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. They did not advise the crew that there had been a brake fire, but rather advised them that the brake temperature had been as high as 1200 degrees Celsius and had now been cooled to below 200 degrees Celsius. In addition to the melted fuse plugs and deflated tires, paint on the left main landing gear was charred and blistered. The landing gear was replaced. Tests on the brake fluid and dual anti-skid control modules revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On June 9, 2006, at 1806 mountain daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30, N907DA, operated by Delta Airlines as flight 1554, sustained minor damage when the aircraft experienced a brake fire during taxi following landing at Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The captain, first officer, one jump seat occupant, three flight attendants, and 148 passengers were uninjured. The flight originated at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Utah, at 1647. According to the crew's written statements, they had been advised by the previous crew that the left brake overheat light had illuminated on landing and that the brake temperature had reached approximately 650 degrees. Maintenance personnel inspected the brakes, found no anomalies, and returned the airplane to service. A maintenance logbook entry was made accordingly. The left thrust reverser had also been placarded as inoperative. The flight to Denver was uneventful and the first officer flew the airplane. On approach to landing, she briefed the captain that she planned to make a flaps 40 landing with the auto brake system set to medium. When the airplane touched down, the right thrust reverser was deployed and the auto brakes engaged. The nose of the airplane pulled to the right due to asymmetrical reverse thrust. Reverse thrust was reduced, the auto brakes were disengaged, and left rudder and minimal left braking were used to return the airplane to the runway centerline. As the airplane slowed and turned off runway 35L, the crew noticed the left brake temperature began to rise rapidly. As the airplane entered the ramp area, the left brake temperature warning light illuminated. The first officer asked ramp tower personnel if there was any smoke coming from the left wheel well. They replied, "Negative." The captain stopped the aircraft short of the gate and requested the fire department to respond. Shortly thereafter, the fuse plugs melted and both left tires deflated. The fire department arrived and applied foam to the landing gear. The brake temperature gauge failed and the crew was not aware that there hade been a brake fire. The fire department did not report the brake fire, but told the crew that the brake temperatures had reached as high as 1200 degrees Centigrade and had now cooled to below 200 degrees Centigrade. In addition to the melted fuse plugs and deflated tires, paint on the left main landing gear was charred and blistered. The aircraft's brake fluid (Skydrol) was analyzed and found to contain no contaminants. Both DACMs (Dual Anti-Skid Control Modules) from the left brake assembly (s/n FEB03-0525 and FEB03-0527) were tested at Aircraft Braking Systems Corporation. Both units met specifications for full dump system pressure, leakage, pressure drop, hydraulic fuse, and transient response time. According to Delta Air Lines, the cause of the brake overheat and subsequent fire is unknown, and no further tests were planned. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N907DA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N907DA-2020-07-20), registration cancelled 2020-07-20, S/N 53387, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-90-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-md-90-30) (registry code 3023690) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [IAE V2500SERIES](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2500series) (registry code 34601, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 53387 - Airframe hours: 30651 - Engines: International Aero Engines V2528-D5 28000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 1, 2006 - Departed: SLC, Salt Lake City, UT - Destination: DEN, Denver, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DEN, Denver International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review November 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 11,775 total, 1,050 in this make and model, 196 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review November 1, 2005; seat: rear; flight hours: 4,651 total, 873 in this make and model, 206 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: DEN ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20060610010719I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060610010719I), Jun 10, 2006: Doug MD9030, Denver, CO, Minor damage. (-23) Upon landing Denver, Colorado (den) airport the left main brake assembly overheated and caught on fire. Outboard left main tire blew, fuse plugs blew,… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.