Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; General Maintenance Action
Weather; Procedure
On approach in Denver there were thunderstorms in the area. About 45 minutes out from arrival; Denver was landing on Runways 25 and 26 due to strong winds out of the west. Upon getting close to the airport; within 30 minutes; the winds had shifted and were around 200 degrees. This caused the airport to change to using the south runways. For our flight they offered runways 16R or 16L. The crew elected for runway 16R. ATC notified the crew that it would be a short approach. The crew turned final for runway 16R in a wide turn. On about a 2 - 3 mile final; ATC stated the wind was now 310 at 22 and to state intentions. The captain (PF) told the first officer (PM) to let ATC know of our intent to land. We continued on the approach and ATC updated the winds to 310 at 23 and asked if we could accept that. The PM acknowledged we could and that we were going to land. We got our landing clearance with the winds of 310 at 26. We landed on runway 16R. On the taxi in the First Officer did his after landing flow and noticed the brakes on the left gear were in the amber cautionary range. He let the Captain know and we continued the taxi. The temps quickly climbed and we got an EICAS message regarding a break temp overheat. The captain stopped the plane and called for the QRH. After running the QRH they continued to monitor the break temps which continued to climb. With the temperatures continuing to climb well above normal; the captain elected to have fire trucks dispatched to the aircraft in case the high temps might lead to a fire. The fire trucks came to the aircraft and after monitoring the situation; the temps started to come down and the fire lead gave us the all clear. We taxied into the gate without further incident. As a jump seater I should have let the crew know of their situation of landing with a tail wind outside the limitations of the aircraft. The event could have been prevented by executing a go around and then electing to use a different runway that would have been within the limitations of the aircraft.
We had to make a few deviations for the weather and were a bit absorbed with planning a safe way around the cells starting about 140 miles out. After dodging the t-storms; we were cleared to descend via the PEEKK3 arrival and given a few heading/speed changes once we were within about 20 miles of the field. Following that; we were given a bit of a chop and drop approach to 16R. Things were happening quickly at this point. We landed; pulled off at D5 and started our taxi to the gate. About a minute into our taxi I noticed that the left brake temps were climbing rather quickly. We kept an eye on it and eventually got a high brake temp EICAS message. We stopped the plane and ran the appropriate QRH. After running the QRH we asked ATC to have the fire trucks come out to take a look at the left gear assembly to make sure we weren't on fire or glowing like a hot BBQ coal. I don't recall declaring an emergency; only asking them to send the trucks to have a look. The brake temps eventually cooled down and we commenced our taxi to the gate. The mechanics came out to have a look at the brake assembly and determined the plane was safe to fly.
During a high workload environment while landing at DEN; with changing weather and winds; the crew landed with a tailwind in excess of limitations which resulted in hot brakes.