# NTSB FTW95IA096: ATR 72-212, N408AT, Dfw Airport, TX, January 17, 1995 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: January 17, 1995, 07:10 local (13:10 UTC) - Place: Dfw Airport, TX - Location: 32.8972° N, 97.0377° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DALLAS-FORT WORTH INTL (DFW), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8972&lon=-97.0377&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 35 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19264 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW95IA096 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19264/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95IA096 ## Probable cause THE UNCOMMANDED ACTIVATION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FOR UNDETERMINED REASON. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, taxi - from landing - landing gear,normal brake system - activated (cause) - landing gear,normal brake system - uncommanded (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined - Fire, standing - engine(s) operating ## Analysis THE CREW EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED BRAKE APPLICATION TO BOTH TIRES ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ABOUT FIVE SECONDS AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE BY USING LEFT RUDDER AND NOSE WHEEL STEERING. WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE THE HOT BRAKE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ILLUMINATED. A FIRE WAS OBSERVED IN THE VICINITY OF THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR AND THE CREW INITIATED AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION ON THE TAXIWAY. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH ANY OF THE LANDING GEAR/BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. THE REASON FOR THE UNCOMMANDED BRAKE APPLICATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. ## Factual narrative On January 17, 1995, at 0710 central standard time, an ATR-72-212, N408AT, sustained substantial fire damage while taxiing at the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Airport, Texas. Three crewmembers and 32 passengers were not injured, while one flight attendant and one passenger received minor injuries. The aircraft, owned and operated by Simmons Airlines, operating as American Eagle flight 3500, was on a scheduled Title 14 Part 121 flight from Lubbock, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. According to the operator, the flight departed Lubbock at 0600. The flight crew noted normal departure and normal brakes when they were tested. The flight touched down on Runway 36L at 103 knots with gross weight of 37,700 pounds. According to the flight crew, no brakes were applied during the landing rollout, and in fact, were not used until the aircraft stopped on the taxiway. The flight crew added that a hard deceleration occurred approximately seconds after touchdown. The crew used left rudder and nose wheel steering to maintain the aircraft on the centerline. Propeller reversing was not used. The aircraft exited the runway on taxiway E-2 and was cleared to cross runway 36R and proceed to taxiway G via WK. As the airplane taxied across runway 36R, the hot brake caution light illuminated. The crew reported to the local controller that they needed to stop on the taxiway due to a right gear problem. Fire was reported in the right main gear and an emergency evacuation to the left side of the airplane was initiated by the crew. Post accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the fire was the result of the uncommanded brake application to the number 3 and 4 tires on the right main landing gear. Fire damage was limited to the area adjacent to the right main landing gear. The fore and aft pressure deck panels and the landing gear bay keel were destroyed by the fire. The right hand landing gear system as well as all the fairings were replaced. The following aircraft components were retained for further evaluation and testing: All brake temperature thermocouples, all brake temperature transmitters, the antiskid control unit and manifold, all four wheel speed transducers, the number 1 and 4 hubcaps, the metering valve, both tires for the right main landing gear (MLG), both main wheel assemblies for the right MLG, and both main brake assemblies for the right MLG. No anomalies were found in any of the systems inspected/tested. A detailed report of each investigation is enclosed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N408AT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N408AT-2015-02-06), registration cancelled 2015-02-06, S/N 408 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ATR 72-212 - Registry model: [Aerospatiale ATR 72-212](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-atr-72-212) (registry code 8680945) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney 127](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-127) (registry code 52132, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0408 - Airframe hours: 1433 - Engines: AEROSPATIALE PW 121 2475 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Simmons Airlines, Inc., doing business as American Eagle - Registered owner: Amr Leasing Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 15, 1995, 1,433 hours before - Departed: LBB, LUBBOCK, TX - Destination: DFW, DFW AIRPORT, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DFW, Dfw Airport, runway 36L, 11,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 14,900 total, 590 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg 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.