Embraer EMB-145 incident near Chicago, Illinois, June 3, 2011
On June 3, 2011 at about 11:05 am local time, a Embraer EMB-145, registered N607AE, was involved in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago O'Hare Iap airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 52 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The overheat and failure the brake during landing due to oxidation of the brake rotors, which went undetected by maintenance personnel. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel’s lack of familiarity with detailed brake oxidation inspection procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2011 · about 11:05 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago O'Hare Iap · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 52 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-145 · all EMB-145s on the register
- Registration
- N607AE · registry record · serial 145064
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots reported that they felt one brake pedal fully release and then reapply during the landing roll. Air traffic control tower personnel saw a puff of smoke and asked the flight crew if a tire had blown on landing. The pilots taxied the airplane to a hold pad for further examination; however, the emergency brake would not hold the airplane stationary. The pilots also received caution messages for the brakes, and hydraulic fluid was observed on the tires and ground. An examination revealed the brake pressure plate and rotor failed. Separated brake parts were also found on the landing runway. Further examination of the incident brake and four other brakes revealed that they all contained varying levels of oxidation development. The brake manufacturer had previously provided the operator with a maintenance procedure which involved using a fingernail or a specified plastic tool to check brakes for oxidation. The operator developed and provided related training to its maintenance personnel based on the manufacturer's procedures. However, interviews with airline and contract maintenance personnel revealed that they were not familiar with the inspection and were not issued the plastic tool. Subsequently, the brake manufacturer and operator provided additional related training to the operator's maintenance personnel, and the operator stocked their maintenance system with the specified tool.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Inadequate inspection
- Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Parts/tools tracking › Operator
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of procedures › Maintenance personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › Training with equipment › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,691 hours in all; 9,911 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,820 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 2, 2011
- Seats: 55
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Allison AE3007C SER (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Allison AE3007C SER (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Eagle Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 10:12 am
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22R, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 49 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.