Brave Eagle trainer fleet grounded after brake malfunction

Taiwan’s Air Force has grounded all 65 of its Brave Eagle advanced jet trainers for inspections after an aircraft overshot the runway at Gangshan Air Force Base on Tuesday due to a serious brake malfunction, a source familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

According to a United Daily News report Tuesday, a Brave Eagle trainer belonging to the Air Force Flight Training Command overshot the runway during a training session at the base. Neither the student officer nor the instructor aboard the aircraft was injured.

An investigation found that Tuesday’s incident was caused by a mechanical failure, Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Lee Ching-jan (李慶然) said in response to questions from Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Wang An-hsiang (王 安祥).

A Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer is pictured in an undated photo.

Photo: Taipei Times

Lee said nine brake-related incidents involving Brave Eagle aircraft had been recorded over the past three years.

Of the nine incidents, only Tuesday’s involved a serious brake failure. In the other eight, safety mechanisms worked effectively, allowing the aircraft to stop safely on the runway, Lee said.

Following the incident, the Air Force grounded all 65 Brave Eagle trainers for special inspections on the advice of Aerospace Industrial Development Corp., the Brave Eagle’s main contractor, a military source with knowledge of the matter later told CNA.

The aircraft will resume flight training once inspections confirm that the aircraft have no technical problems, the source said.

Wang said repeated reports of brake failures and maintenance problems involving Brave Eagle aircraft could point to a flight safety concern. He urged the Air Force to review the problems and propose measures to address them.