Condor B763 at Frankfurt on May 21st 2015, rejected takeoff on ATC instruction

Last Update: February 26, 2016 / 15:38:07 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Condor D-ABUL, Boeing 767-300 — Condor D-ABUL, Boeing 767-300 (Photo credit: Aero Icarus / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
May 21, 2015

Classification
Accident

Cause
Rejected takeoff

Airline
Condor

Flight number
DE-4062

Departure
Frankfurt/Main, Germany

Destination
Halifax, Canada

Aircraft Registration
D-ABUL

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300

ICAO Type Designator
B763

Airport
Frankfurt am Main International Airport, Frankfurt-am-Main

Airport ICAO Code
EDDF

A Condor Boeing 767-300, registration D-ABUL performing flight DE-4062 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Halifax,NS (Canada) with 219 passengers and 8 crew, was cleared for takeoff from runway 25C and was accelerating for takeoff.

An Air Bridge Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration VQ-BUU performing flight RU-481 from Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was on final approach to Frankfurt's runway 25L descending through about 500 feet AGL when the crew initiated and reported a go-around.

In response tower instructed DE-4062 to stop. The Condor crew rejected takeoff at high speed and stopped the aircraft on the runway, emergency services responded and sprayed the hot brakes.

D-ABUL remained on the ground for 14 days following the occurrence.

The occurrence became known to The Aviation Herald by a passenger booked on another flight on May 23rd, who had observed that pre-booked seat assignments had been changed and a number of business class passengers had been downgraded. The captain subsequently apologized in an announcement advising that the aircraft with the bigger business class (editorial note: Condor operates three Boeing 767-300s with 30 business class seats, the others with 18 business class seats) had needed to reject takeoff at high speed on ATC instruction the day before, brakes and tyres needed to be replaced, however, maintenance had not released the aircraft to service yet. It further emerged that a "Jumbo" had been involved into the rejected takeoff.

Condor reported that flight DE-4062 from Frankfurt to Halifax needed to reject takeoff on instruction by ATC on May 21st 2015, the reason was another aircraft on another runway going around. Due to the heavy braking a thorough examination of the aircraft needed to be carried out. The passengers of flight DE-4062 were taken to hotels and were flown to their destination the following day.

Germany's BFU reported they were informed about the occurrence on May 21st 2015 and are in the process of collecting data to decide, whether an investigation into the occurrence will be opened.

On Feb 26th 2016 the BFU released their final report stating just the facts and remaining without conclusions.

The BFU reported that the departing aircraft had received departure clearance to follow BIBTI 3G departure from runway 25C involving to climb straight out for 5nm then turn northwest.

The BFU reported that V1 had been computed at 151 KIAS. After receiving takeoff clearance on runway 25C the aircraft accelerated for 32 seconds, then slowed for 34 seconds, the maximum speed, according to QAR, was 165 KIAS.

The BFU reported that 13 seconds after receiving the takeoff clearance the crew of the Boeing 767-300 began their takeoff roll. 46 seconds after receiving the takeoff clearance the controller instructed "Stop immediately, I say again stop immediately", 4 seconds later, according to QAR, the thrust levers were reduced to idle and the wheel brakes activated, another 3 seconds later the crew acknowledged they were aborting takeoff. The aircraft vacated the runway via taxiway L17, 600 meters short of the runway end, and stopped on taxiway L. Emergency services responded, found the brakes were red-hot and the forward tyres of the left main gear deflated, and began cooling the brakes down.

The BFU reported the damage: "The operator had inspected the main landing gears and determined damages on all four axes. The melting plug of the front wheels of the left main landing gear had melted. The front wheels of the left main landing gear showed total pressure loss. The brakes of the wheels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 leaked hydraulic fluid."

The BFU reported that shortly after the B763 had begun their takeoff roll, an arriving Boeing 747-400 cleared to land on runway 25L commenced a go-around, the controller responsible for runway 25L issued instruction to follow standard missed approach procedure which involves a turn to the south, then informed the controller responsible for runway 25C.

Metars:
EDDF 211850Z 03004KT 340V120 CAVOK 16/01 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211820Z 34006KT 300V030 CAVOK 16/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211750Z VRB06KT CAVOK 17/00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211720Z 32008KT 270V010 CAVOK 17/00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211650Z 31008KT 260V010 CAVOK 17/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211620Z 33007KT 280V050 CAVOK 18/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211550Z VRB09G26KT CAVOK 17/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211520Z 32009KT 280V020 CAVOK 18/01 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211450Z 36007KT 290V050 CAVOK 18/00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211420Z 34009KT 270V010 CAVOK 18/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211350Z 33012KT 300V360 CAVOK 16/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211320Z 33010KT 270V010 CAVOK 17/02 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211250Z VRB09KT CAVOK 16/M00 Q1025 NOSIG
EDDF 211220Z VRB10G25KT CAVOK 16/00 Q1025 NOSIG