LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
N501PA
LOCKHEED L-1011-385-3
SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCREW MOVED THE GEAR HANDLE FROM 'UP' TO 'OFF', DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THEY HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE NOSEWHEEL AREA. THEY RETURNED TO THE ARPT & LANDED AFTER DUMPING FUEL. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT BOTH LOWER ATTACH LUGS ON THE NOSE GEAR CRANK ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED & ALLOWED THE RETRACT ACTUATOR ARM TO PENETRATE THE WHEEL WELL BULKHEAD & CARGO COMPARTMENT FLOOR. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THAT THE LEFT LUG HAD FAILED IN OVERLOAD AFTER FAILURE OF THE RIGHT LUG. THE FRACTURE SURFACE OF THE RIGHT LUG WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED FOR AN EVALUATION; HOWEVER, SOME INTERGRANULAR CORROSION WAS NOTED IN THE REMAINING FRACTURE FACE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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