Wheel fire on a PA28A after taxiing to the runway end for run-up.

Attributes
ACN	538444
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ftg.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 290 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	538444
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While taxiing to run-up area, brakes were inoperative. Immediately closed throttle and mixture, coasted to stop. Smoke visible under right wing. Immediately exited aircraft. Wheel pant on right strut on fire. Called airport for fire truck, then noticed left wheel pant also on fire. Fire truck arrived, fires extinguished. Cause at this point unknown. Aircraft currently locked in my hangar until insurance adjuster and at least 1 other a&P/ia examines for possible cause. Note: aircraft in shop 2 weeks earlier for brake service. One possibility is calipers or brakes (hand brake) set, although it's unlikely the brakes were set. No one hurt, not even upset. Did exactly what CFI and lessons impress upon me. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the brakes had a history of leaks over the past yr. There was maintenance done 3 different times during that period. Last work was a bleed of the brake system 2 weeks prior to the flight in question. There was no excess power required for taxi, however, insurance and maintenance investigators surmise that the parking brake was not completely released, causing heat buildup, resulting in the burning of the hub caps on both wheels.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEEL FIRE ON A PA28A AFTER TAXIING TO THE RWY END FOR RUN-UP.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO RUN-UP AREA, BRAKES WERE INOP. IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THROTTLE AND MIXTURE, COASTED TO STOP. SMOKE VISIBLE UNDER R WING. IMMEDIATELY EXITED ACFT. WHEEL PANT ON R STRUT ON FIRE. CALLED ARPT FOR FIRE TRUCK, THEN NOTICED L WHEEL PANT ALSO ON FIRE. FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED, FIRES EXTINGUISHED. CAUSE AT THIS POINT UNKNOWN. ACFT CURRENTLY LOCKED IN MY HANGAR UNTIL INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND AT LEAST 1 OTHER A&P/IA EXAMINES FOR POSSIBLE CAUSE. NOTE: ACFT IN SHOP 2 WKS EARLIER FOR BRAKE SVC. ONE POSSIBILITY IS CALIPERS OR BRAKES (HAND BRAKE) SET, ALTHOUGH IT'S UNLIKELY THE BRAKES WERE SET. NO ONE HURT, NOT EVEN UPSET. DID EXACTLY WHAT CFI AND LESSONS IMPRESS UPON ME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE BRAKES HAD A HISTORY OF LEAKS OVER THE PAST YR. THERE WAS MAINT DONE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THAT PERIOD. LAST WORK WAS A BLEED OF THE BRAKE SYS 2 WKS PRIOR TO THE FLT IN QUESTION. THERE WAS NO EXCESS PWR REQUIRED FOR TAXI, HOWEVER, INSURANCE AND MAINT INVESTIGATORS SURMISE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT COMPLETELY RELEASED, CAUSING HEAT BUILDUP, RESULTING IN THE BURNING OF THE HUB CAPS ON BOTH WHEELS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.