Description

On 15 August 2019, a Boeing 767-300 (N378AX) being operated by Omni Air International with an augmented flight crew on an international passenger transport flight carrying US military personnel from the USA to Kuwait via Shannon was accelerating for takeoff from runway 24 in normal night visibility when an unusual noise was heard and the Captain decided to reject the takeoff at high speed. The reject was uneventful but almost half an hour later whilst the aircraft was taxiing from its initial post-reject holding position via the runway to return to the gate for inspections, fire broke out in the left main gear bay. A precautionary emergency evacuation was carried out and the AFRS attended and extinguished the fire. One of the 143 passengers sustained a minor injury and the two forward wheels of the left main gear bogie and their associated brake units and tyre sustained substantial damage.  

Investigation

A Field Investigation was carried out by the Irish AAIU. The 2 hour CVR and the FDR were removed from the aircraft and their respective data were successfully downloaded. ATC recorded data was also available.

It was noted that the 50 year-old Captain had a total of 6,623 hours flying experience of which 1,321 hours were on type with 266 of the hours on type in command. The First Officer had a total of 17,772 hours flying experience of which 2,987 hours were on type. An ‘International Relief Officer’ (IRO) was occupying the centre supernumerary crew seat on the flight deck. All three pilots were interviewed by investigators.