Lion Air MD90 at Batam on Feb 23rd 2009, nose gear failure
Last Update: October 19, 2012 / 13:08:31 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Feb 23, 2009
Classification
Accident
Airline
Lion Air
Aircraft Type
McDonnell Douglas MD-90
ICAO Type Designator
MD90
The nose gear water deflector was broken and moved out to the nose wheel well structure.
The NTSC added, that after departure during gear retraction the nose gear indication remained unsafe. The crew extended and retracted the gear, the gear subsequently indicated safely in the uplock position.
On final approach to Batam the nose gear again indicated unsafe prompting the crew to go-around. Several attempts to extend the nose gear remained unsuccessful, the crew performed a low approach to verify the status of the gear from the ground, the crew subsequently decided to land with the nose gear not extended. Emergency services foamed the runway for arrival.
The aircraft landed on runway 04 stopping on the runway center line. An evacuation via the front left slide was initiated. No injuries occurred.
The captain held an ATPL and had accumulated +/- 21,000 hours of total experience with +/- 4000 hours on type. The first officer held a CPL and had accumulated +/- 5000 hours of total experience and +/- 2500 hours on type.
The aircraft had accumulated 18,933 hours of flying time in 15,475 cycles. The nose landing gear had been in use for 20,770 hours and 16,795 cycles.
The left portion of the nose gear's water spray deflector was found fractured and separated from the nose gear and had got entangled in the nose wheel bay preventing the extension of the nose gear. The fracture occurred due to a pre-existing fatigue crack at the center flange, one of the flange hole edges showed indication of being over-torqued.
The NTSC analysed that during departure from Medan the landing gear had been re-cycled three times actually, there were problems also in extending the gear. After the third attempt to extend the gear the gear did fully extend.
The NTSC stated: "If damage to landing gear suspected or if previous gear malfunction has been indicated, do not cycle gear as this may cause further damage and make it impossible to re-extend gear (QRH: Red light illuminated with landing gear handle up page: AP.70.6. published date June 2005)."
The gear however was retracted and the flight continued to Batam, where 2-3 attempts to lower the gear were made, the nose gear however did not extend.
The NTSC released a safety recommendation to the airline and one safety recommendation to Indonesia's DGAC, both dealing with inspection of the nose landing gear water spray deflector for cracks.
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Feb 23, 2009
Classification
Accident
Airline
Lion Air
Aircraft Type
McDonnell Douglas MD-90
ICAO Type Designator
MD90
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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