Magnesium wheels used to be fairly common on transport category
aircraft.
They are light and strong. I only know of one wheel fire, but I am sure
there have been many more.
1991 Nigeria Airways DC-8 with a load of Pilgrims left Jeddah. One of
the eight main tires was underinflated (each truck has four). The tire
next to it failed about five hundred feet into the take off roll. The
under inflated one failed shortly there after.
This caused the remnants to drag on the ground during the roll. The
Captain, who was monitoring the takeoff while the First Officer
conducted it, asked the FO if he was dragging the brakes. The FO said
he was not and the takeoff continued.
Liftoff speed of an -8 must be somewhere around 185 mph.
The aircraft achieved flight and retracted the landing gear. Unknown to
the crew the wheels, tires and brakes were on fire on the affected main
gear.
Magnesium burns rather hotly. It breached the center fuel tank and
cabin almost immediately and the lead flight attendant informed the
cockpit crew. The Captain instructed the FO to put the landing gear down
and declare an emergency. Unfortunately there are no wheel well fire
lights on a DC-8 or they would have known sooner.
The aircraft turned towards the airport and the cabin crew began to
fight the fire that had now breached the floor in the main cabin.
The crew struggled to fly the aircraft as the fire had burned through
the hydraulic lines which carry the fluid that powers the flight
controls.
The aircraft was able to circle the airport and establish on final
approach before the heat melted the main wing spar and it failed.
Total loss of aircraft and crew.
Scott Hutchinson
Director of Operations
NetJets Large Aircraft
O. 860.292.1191
M. 843.290.2805
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