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Tire Explosion Could Be Origin of Fire on Concorde: Investigators
The explosion of one or two tires could be the origin of the fire which engulfed the rear part of the Air France Concorde before it crashed, said investigators Friday.
The Bureau of Accident Investigation (BEA) said in a communique that one or two tires on the undercarriage on the left side of plane was destroyed during the take-off and that the fire did not seem to come from an engine on the left wing as it was previously thought.
"We notice notably the destruction of one and perhaps two tires of the four tires of the left principal undercarriage," said BEA.
But it said that it is still too early to deduce the cause of the accident.
The BEA said that the debris of tire was found on the No. 26 runway used by the Concorde, but no debris from inside the engine had been found so far.
"No debris from inside the engine has been found. The origin of the fire appears to be outside the engines," it said, adding that it remains to be determined yet.
The Concorde plane has three undercarriages, one with two wheels in front and two "principal undercarriages " with four wheels under both wings in the rear part of the fuselage.
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