also, on the e170, the parking brake is outside any computer control loop. it's one of 2 things with a direct connection from the control in the cockpit to the the system.

with the parking brake on, there is no anti-skid, locked wheel, or touchdown protection for the brakes. they'll do just as in the pictures.

also, the system has been modified from the 145 system in that it will not transfer fluid from one side to the other anymore.

Yeah, that was shortly after MDA started ops. It was most probably two unbelievably bitter former US furloughees, although I suppose the FO could have been a CEL pilot.

No reason to think they were bitter... they just got bitten in the ass by the "technique" bug. We all try to modify company procedures based on our own ideas of safety and efficiency at some point. This crew thought they had a good technique for remembering the fuel crossfeed was open. But, techniques are often flawed and overlook some basic systems and operation information. Most people just stick a checklist between the thrust levers, or bring up the fuel synoptic page on the MFD as a crossfeed reminder. But this still overlooks the basic point that the EICAS displays a message when the crossfeed valve is open. There is your reminder. If you overdo the crossfeed and create an imbalance, you get another Eicas message and a caution chime. No need to reinvent the wheel... the airplane provides enough information.

Correct, this incident was pre-RAH. MD = Mid Atlantic, which was originally a wholly-owned regional setup by old US Airways (pre-merger) to operate the E-170's using furloughed Airways pilots. This was done instead of putting he 170's on mainline and then recalling the pilots. In 2005 Airways sold the whole thing to RAH, but the deal only included jobs for half the original pilots IIRC...back to the unemployment line...again.

We had a CH-53 helicopter being flown by an instructor pilot while I was in the Air Force do the same thing. They were working in a "confined area" doing sling loads and he set the brake before taking off. Unfortunately, he forgot about the brakes being set and did a beautiful "run on" landing that blew all four mains about 300 feet after touchdown. All the tires blew at precisely the same point (within a few feet). No one got hurt and he kept it right on the centerline......................if that's any consolation......:p

Except letting you know you've got the parking brake set in fight, apparently :(

Tipsy