Pel-Air pilots reschooled on aircraft parking brake after aborted takeoff

A six-month investigation has found a charter flight grounded on take off after smoke was seen coming from the wheels was all because pilots left the park brake on.

A six-month investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found a charter flight to Tasmania was unable to takeoff because the pilots had not released the parking brake.

The Pel-Air operated Saab 340 had two pilots, a cabin attendant and 25 passengers on board, when the takeoff from Flinders Island was rejected because the plane was veering to the left and not accelerating sufficiently.

The Flinders Island airport operations officer reported seeing smoke coming from the aircraft’s wheels and radioed the flight crew to tell them.

“The first officer also recalled the aircraft felt like it was braking by itself, and that pressure was felt in the brake pedals under their feet,” said the ATSB’s final report.

The Saab 340 reached a speed of 96kts, or 177km an hour, before the takeoff was rejected more than a kilometre along the runway.

The ATSB report on an aborted takeoff, due to the fact the pilots had not released the parking brake. Picture: ATSB

When the aircraft returned to the gate, the pilots noticed all four main landing gear tyres were deflated and significant tyre marks on the runway from the 300m mark to 1150m.

ATSB director of transport safety Stuart Mcleod said their investigation found the parking brake handle had not been fully released, resulting in residual pressure remaining in the brake system.

“As the aircraft accelerated for takeoff, this heat generation increased significantly, resulting in further application of the brakes,” said Mr Mcleod.

Since the incident on November 4, 2022, Pel-Air had taken a number of safety actions to prevent a reoccurrence, the ATSB noted.

These included providing pilots with “detailed information of the operation of the parking brake”.

“This occurrence demonstrates the importance of completing routine tasks in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions,” Mr Macleod said.

“The outcome of this event, no passenger injuries and minimal aircraft damage, was a result of the flight crew’s effective monitoring of the aircraft’s performance and prompt action to reject the takeoff when the expected performance was not achieved.”

Neither the ATSB nor Saab had records of any comparable occurrences involving Saab 340 aircraft which first entered service 40-years ago.

The captain had over 4600 flying hours, and the first officer almost 2500 flying hours, with most of those done on the Saab 340.

Both were provided with “ancillary training” in the wake of the incident, the report said.

Engineers from Pel-Air’s parent company Rex Airlines, were flown into inspect the aircraft and replaced the main landing gear wheels and brakes.

Once brake and parking tests were carried out and no faults found, the Saab 340 registered VH-ZRC was returned to service.

Originally published as Pel-Air pilots reschooled on aircraft parking brake after aborted takeoff