US investigators believe a fire which badly damaged a Bombardier Challenger 650 last month occurred after the crew attempted to use braking to burn excess fuel prior to departure.
The executive jet (N247QS) had been set to take off from Jackson in Wyoming for Norfolk, Virginia, on 17 November.
According to testimony from the captain, there had been a miscalculation of load and the aircraft was above maximum safe departure weight.
To bring the aircraft’s weight down, the crew planned to burn 500lb (227kg) of fuel by waiting at the end of the runway and increasing thrust while applying the brakes.
Preliminary findings by the National Transportation Safety Board state that the captain applied about 65% power while taxiing, rising to 70% as the aircraft approached runway 19.
While holding short of the runway the captain initially set the parking brake, but released it after receiving a configuration warning.
The captain then held the brakes for about 10-15min while increasing power again.
When the crew received take-off clearance, the captain taxied the jet onto the runway and handed control to the first officer, who held the brakes for a static take-off, releasing them after applying take-off power.
But as the jet reached 25-30kt, says the inquiry, the crew “heard a rumble” on the left side and aborted the take-off run.
The tower controller notified the crew that the left main landing-gear appeared to be on fire.
All nine passengers and both pilots evacuated the jet after it stopped on a taxiway.
None of the occupants was injured but, the inquiry says, the aircraft suffered “substantial damage” to its underside wing skin and auxiliary spar.
