Latest news with #TropicalStormHilary
Fox News
7 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Cause of failed Alaska Airlines landing gear that sent passengers screaming revealed
Nearly two years after passengers screamed while sparks flew down a runway during the landing of an Alaska Airlines flight, the cause has been revealed. A final report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released on Tuesday points to "incorrect" maintenance work. The flight, which departed from Seattle, Washington, made a hard touchdown in Santa Ana, Calif., during Tropical Storm Hilary after the left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown. Video recorded by a passenger captured the plane slamming into the ground at high speed. Sparks were seen flying as the plane appeared to drag its left wing along the tarmac. Investigators revealed that the incident was caused by a "fatigue crack" of a metal trunnion pin, which is part of the left landing gear. The fracture formed from excessive grinding during a 2018 maintenance overhaul, which introduced heat damage to the metal. While the crack was initially not visible, it grew over time and ultimately "caused the pin to fracture during landing," the NTSB report said. "Results of this examination and previous NTSB investigations demonstrate that even relatively mild heat exposure from grinding and/or machining during overhaul can lead to cracking, which can lead to fatigue crack growth and failed landing gear components, as occurred in this accident," the report stated. The report added that the pin had endured more than 4,000 landing cycles since undergoing the 2018 maintenance work. The crack itself had likely been present for approximately 800 landing cycles, the NTSB found. Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage from the hard landing, all 112 passengers and crew members were able to deplane safely and without injury. Alaska Airlines previously said, "our focus is taking care of our guests who were on board, including retrieving their checked bags." "We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate their patience during this situation." Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Trail, picnic area reopen in Mt. Charleston 2 years after storm
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nearly two years after Tropical Storm Hilary wreaked havoc on the trails and roads of Mount Charleston, two areas have finally reopened. Deer Creek Picnic Area and Cathedral Rock Trail have both reopened. Hiker Cody Devolder spent his day checking out the new path. 'The last time I was on this trail was 2019. I'm so relieved things are getting back up and running. We had a nice walk,' Devolder told 8 News Now. 8 News Now got an exclusive look at the reopened areas with U.S. Forest Service Officer Taylor Tims who described the destruction that was left behind after the storm. 'We got about 10 inches of rain in an hour so you can imagine the amount of water damage that caused to our trails,' she said. 'To reopen a trail, you first need to access it and see what the damage is. In Cathedral Rock specifically there were ruts probably three to four feet deep. That entails a lot of hard labor so what we had to do is fill those holes with boulders.' The Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act provided grant money to get the trail up and running again, but Tims said there's still a lot of work to be done. 'Mary Jane and Trail Canyon are popular trails that remain closed. The timeline for those will be around 2027,' Tims added. The Forest Service, Southern Nevada Climate Coalition and Spring Mountain Youth Camp have also played a vital role in the rebuilding process. The lower part of Bristlecone Trail is open to hikers; however, the upper portion will remain closed until 2029. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
