WASHINGTON, DC, USA
N902TS
BOEING B-727-29
THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR ON APPROACH TO DCA, HE HEARD A LOUD THUMP AND HE GOT AN UNSAFE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INDICATION. ALSO, 'A' SYSTEM HYDRAULIC PRESSURE LOSS OCCURRED. THE PILOT LEARNED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, FROM A CABIN CREWMEMBER, THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR LANDING STRUT WAS PROTURDING THROUGH THE RIGHT WING SURFACE. THE CAPTAIN DID A LOW PASS OVER DCA, WHERE AIR TRAFFIC TONTROL PERSONNEL NOTICED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS DOWN; HOWEVER, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DOOR APPEARED TO BE PARTIALLY EXTENDED. AS A PRECAUTION, THE CAPTAIN DIVERTED THE FLIGHT TO IAD, WHERE THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR BEAM HANGER SUPPORT SHAFT FRACTURED, CAUSING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUT TO LOOSEN FROM ITS MOUNT AND PUNCTURE THE WING SKIN. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE SUPPORT SHAFT REVEALED A CRACK IN THE MATERIAL WHICH PRECEDED THE FRACTURE SEPARATION.
THE ACCIDENT WAS FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SUPPORT LINK SHAFT BECAUSE OF OVERTORQUE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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