DEN06IA083

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. 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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12