Alaska Airlines Landing Gear Failure: NTSB Report
- An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 experienced a landing gear failure in Southern California due to improper maintenance, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed Tuesday.The incident, which occurred...
- The NTSB's final report resolute that the grinding, performed on the left main landing gear's aft trunnion pin, caused heat damage and fatigue cracking.
- The flight, arriving from Seattle, experienced a "firm jolt" upon touchdown, according to the pilot.
The NTSB has found excessive grinding as the culprit behind the Alaska Airlines landing gear failure at John Wayne-Orange County Airport in August 2023. This critical report details how improper maintenance lead to heat damage and a fractured trunnion pin, causing a Boeing 737-800 to “slam into the runway” upon landing. Fortunately,all 106 passengers and six crew members were unharmed. The NTSB’s investigation highlights failures in the overhaul process, performed by Sunvair, pinpointing the grinding as the primary cause. The maintenance provider has since updated its inspection methods to prevent future incidents. For a deeper dive into this landing gear failure,News Directory 3 has the specifics. Discover what’s next for aviation safety protocols.
Maintenance Error Blamed in Alaska Airlines Landing Gear Failure
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 experienced a landing gear failure in Southern California due to improper maintenance, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed Tuesday.The incident, which occurred Aug. 20, 2023, at John Wayne-Orange County Airport, stemmed from “excessive grinding” during an overhaul.
The NTSB’s final report resolute that the grinding, performed on the left main landing gear’s aft trunnion pin, caused heat damage and fatigue cracking. This ultimately led to the pin fracturing upon landing.
The flight, arriving from Seattle, experienced a “firm jolt” upon touchdown, according to the pilot. The left side of the plane then ”slammed into the runway” as the landing gear collapsed.
Despite the damage to the 737’s left wing,all 106 passengers and six crew members escaped injury. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service four months later.
The NTSB noted that the fatigue crack was located in an area showing visual contrast after inspections, indicating exposure to higher temperatures. This heat exposure, investigators concluded, most likely resulted from the grinding process.
Sunvair,a Valencia,Calif., MRO specialist, had overhauled the landing gear in July 2018.The NTSB confirmed the crack was not present at that time. Following the incident, Sunvair has added an extra inspection to its trunnion pin overhaul procedure to prevent future occurrences of landing gear failure.
What’s next
The NTSB continues to investigate aviation incidents, focusing on identifying root causes and recommending safety improvements to prevent future accidents related to landing gear failure and other maintenance-related issues.