NTSB: Alaska Airlines landing gear collapse caused by 'excessive grinding'
May 27 (UPI) -- The National Transportation Safety Board revealed Tuesday that "excessive grinding" during maintenance work is what caused an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800's left landing gear to collapse during landing, two years ago in Southern California.
In its final report, the NTSB determined that "maintenance personnel's excessive grinding of the left main landing gear's aft trunnion pin during machining, which imparted heat damage to the base metal, led to the fatigue cracking that caused the pin to fracture during landing."
The plane's left landing gear collapsed on Aug. 20, 2023, as the Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle touched down at John Wayne-Orange County Airport. According to the pilot, it felt like a "firm jolt" and that the left side of the plane "slammed into the runway."
None of the 106 passengers and six crew on board were injured. The 737 suffered significant damage to its left wing, which was repaired. The aircraft returned to service four months later.
The NTSB report says the fatigue crack "was located along an area with a darker visual contrast following temper etch and metallographic inspections."
"Elevated readings and an area of visual contrast were consistent with the area being exposed to higher temperatures becoming softer than the surrounding material," the NTSB said, while adding that the heat exposure "most likely" came from the grinding.
The landing gear on the Boeing 737-800 was overhauled in July 2018 and investigators said the crack was not present at that time. MRO specialist Sunvair, in Valencia, Calif., performed the work. Sunvair has since added an additional inspection to its trunnion pin overhaul process.
On Tuesday, the NTSB also issued its final report on a Delta Boeing 717, which safely skidded to an emergency landing after its nose landing gear failed to drop on descent into Charlotte, N.C., in June 2023. The NTSB pinned that landing gear failure on a broken support piece, caused by metal fatigue.
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Politico
4 days ago
- Politico
How has the NTSB fared with DOGE?
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Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the day NO MASSIVE UPHEAVAL: Even though Elon Musk is (officially) done with his government role, DOGE's cost-cutting mission continues — and so far, the independent National Transportation Safety Board has not experienced massive disruption like other agencies have. A DOGE team, though, was recently assigned to review the NTSB's contracts, staffing and leases, the agency confirmed to POLITICO. It happened about two weeks ago, the agency said Thursday. (Reuters first wrote of the team's existence.) — The NTSB declined to comment further, referring other questions to DOGE, whose recently departed spokesperson, Katie Miller, didn't respond to a request for comment. The group also didn't reply to a message sent via X, its preferred communications platform. 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UPI
28-05-2025
- UPI
NTSB: Alaska Airlines landing gear collapse caused by 'excessive grinding'
May 27 (UPI) -- The National Transportation Safety Board revealed Tuesday that "excessive grinding" during maintenance work is what caused an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800's left landing gear to collapse during landing, two years ago in Southern California. In its final report, the NTSB determined that "maintenance personnel's excessive grinding of the left main landing gear's aft trunnion pin during machining, which imparted heat damage to the base metal, led to the fatigue cracking that caused the pin to fracture during landing." The plane's left landing gear collapsed on Aug. 20, 2023, as the Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle touched down at John Wayne-Orange County Airport. According to the pilot, it felt like a "firm jolt" and that the left side of the plane "slammed into the runway." None of the 106 passengers and six crew on board were injured. The 737 suffered significant damage to its left wing, which was repaired. The aircraft returned to service four months later. The NTSB report says the fatigue crack "was located along an area with a darker visual contrast following temper etch and metallographic inspections." "Elevated readings and an area of visual contrast were consistent with the area being exposed to higher temperatures becoming softer than the surrounding material," the NTSB said, while adding that the heat exposure "most likely" came from the grinding. The landing gear on the Boeing 737-800 was overhauled in July 2018 and investigators said the crack was not present at that time. MRO specialist Sunvair, in Valencia, Calif., performed the work. Sunvair has since added an additional inspection to its trunnion pin overhaul process. On Tuesday, the NTSB also issued its final report on a Delta Boeing 717, which safely skidded to an emergency landing after its nose landing gear failed to drop on descent into Charlotte, N.C., in June 2023. The NTSB pinned that landing gear failure on a broken support piece, caused by metal fatigue.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Wheel breaks off Frontier flight from Orlando and gets sucked into engine, NTSB says
A Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando ran into serious trouble while landing in Puerto Rico. The NTSB says a wheel broke off the nose gear, hit the wing and then got sucked into the engine. Officials said the incident happened last month. Despite the damage, the pilot safely landed the plane with help from air traffic controllers. The cause of the damage is still under investigation. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
