Narrative:

Automatic-brake failure after takeoff. Did ECAM. Notified company and consulted with maintenance who told me the #1 transducer had failed and that the #1 brake probably would not work on landing; automatic-brake also inoperative. Consulted QRH/landing distance chart. Wrote up item; notified maintenance. I was advised by one of the pilots who got the airplane next that the mechanic who worked on the aircraft said a part (a vented cover over the wheel transducer) was missing and that he thought it might have been stolen from the aircraft in ZZZ. More likely it was not properly replaced on the aircraft by maintenance during one of the 2 times in the previous 2 days when they had worked on the same brake. I find mechanic's suggestion that someone stole parts from the aircraft ridiculous. Part was most likely not properly resecured by maintenance during previous work the day before. I never personally spoke to the mechanic; or saw which part was missing. First officer and I agree that we most likely would have noticed said part missing during preflight as it would have been quite noticeable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 AUTO-BRAKE FAILURE NOTED AFTER TAKE-OFF. #1 BRAKE TRANSDUCER FAILED AND AUTO-BRAKE SYS INOP. #1 BRAKE ALSO NOT AVAILABLE.

Narrative: AUTO-BRAKE FAILURE AFTER TKOF. DID ECAM. NOTIFIED COMPANY AND CONSULTED WITH MAINT WHO TOLD ME THE #1 TRANSDUCER HAD FAILED AND THAT THE #1 BRAKE PROBABLY WOULD NOT WORK ON LNDG; AUTO-BRAKE ALSO INOP. CONSULTED QRH/LNDG DISTANCE CHART. WROTE UP ITEM; NOTIFIED MAINT. I WAS ADVISED BY ONE OF THE PLTS WHO GOT THE AIRPLANE NEXT THAT THE MECH WHO WORKED ON THE ACFT SAID A PART (A VENTED COVER OVER THE WHEEL TRANSDUCER) WAS MISSING AND THAT HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM THE ACFT IN ZZZ. MORE LIKELY IT WAS NOT PROPERLY REPLACED ON THE ACFT BY MAINT DURING ONE OF THE 2 TIMES IN THE PREVIOUS 2 DAYS WHEN THEY HAD WORKED ON THE SAME BRAKE. I FIND MECH'S SUGGESTION THAT SOMEONE STOLE PARTS FROM THE ACFT RIDICULOUS. PART WAS MOST LIKELY NOT PROPERLY RESECURED BY MAINT DURING PREVIOUS WORK THE DAY BEFORE. I NEVER PERSONALLY SPOKE TO THE MECH; OR SAW WHICH PART WAS MISSING. FO AND I AGREE THAT WE MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE NOTICED SAID PART MISSING DURING PREFLT AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE NOTICEABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.