Fedex B763 at Los Angeles on Aug 19th 2020, left main gear did not extend

Last Update: July 13, 2023 / 06:24:53 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Aug 19, 2020

Classification
Accident

Airline
Fedex

Flight number
FX-1026

Departure
Newark, United States

Destination
Los Angeles, United States

Aircraft Registration
N146FE

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300

ICAO Type Designator
B763

Airport
Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles

Airport ICAO Code
KLAX

A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 767-300 freighter, registration N146FE performing flight FX-1026 from Newark,NJ to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 2 crew, was on final approach to Los Angeles's runway 24R when the crew received an unsafe gear indication, the left main gear was not down and locked. The aircraft went around and entered a hold at 5000 feet while the crew was working the checklists. The aircraft subsequently performed a low approach to runway 24L, an inspection from the ground could not solidly determine whether the left main gear was down, the gear doors were open. Tower offered to have somebody placed to the runway for another inspection from the ground, the crew decided to perform another low approach. The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 24L descending to about 300 feet now. Operations vehicles placed along the runway reported the left main gear did not appear in position. The crew advised they needed to talk to operations and maintenance, but they suspected there was not a lot more they could do. The aircraft entered another hold at 5000 feet for about 40 minutes, then performed a partial gear down landing on runway 25R about 45 minutes after the second low approach. The aircraft came to a stop on the center line of the runway sitting on its nose gear, right main gear and left engine cowling. The crew evacuated the aircraft through the cockpit window via a rope. The first officer received serious injuries during the evacuation.

On Aug 20th 2020 the FAA reported the aircraft landed on one main gear only. One of the pilots received minor injuries, the other remained uninjured.

On Aug 21st 2020 the FAA changed to report, the injury of the one pilot is now rated serious.

On Aug 28th 2020 the NTSB reported the left main gear failed to extend. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, the first officer received serious injuries while exiting the cockpit via the emergency escape rope. The NTSB is investigating.

On Jul 13th 2023 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the accident was:

The left main landing gear’s failure to extend due to the separation of the brake rod retaining hardware from the aft inboard wheel for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

The NTSB analysed:

In preparation for landing, LAX air traffic control cleared FedEx flight 1026 for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 24R. When the airplane descended to an altitude of about 1,800 ft, the flight crew moved the landing gear handle to lower the landing gear. The crew then received a “GEAR DISAGREE” message from the engine indicating and crew alerting system. The crew discontinued the approach and climbed the airplane to 5,000 ft to perform the quick reference handbook Gear Disagree checklist procedure. The checklist directed the crew to lower the landing gear using the alternate gear extension system, but the left main landing gear (MLG) still did not extend.

The flight crew then flew a low approach to the runway so that the tower controller could try to see if the left MLG was extended. The airplane descended to an altitude of about 500 ft above ground level, but the tower controller could not tell whether the left MLG was extended. The crew then declared an emergency and flew another low approach—this time at an altitude of about 200 to 300 ft above ground level and with airport operations personnel positioned along the runway to get a better view of the airplane. The second low approach determined that the left MLG was retracted.

The captain stated that, once the fuel was at an appropriate point to execute the gear-up approach and landing, air traffic control vectored the airplane for an ILS approach to the longest runway at the airport. The captain also stated the airplane made a “normal landing touchdown” and that, after the left engine contacted the runway, he maintained directional control with the ailerons, rudder, and right wheel braking. After the captain manually deployed the speedbrakes, the airplane came to a stop on the runway centerline about 2,000 to 3,000 ft from the end of the runway.

A brake rod, which is installed between each brake assembly housing and the shock strut, transfers the torque generated by the brake to the MLG. Each brake rod is connected to the torque arm on the brake assembly housing using, among other things, a pin that is secured by a retaining bolt. Postaccident examination of the left MLG assembly revealed that the No. 6 brake rod (corresponding to the aft inboard wheel) was connected at the shock strut end but was not connected to the torque arm on the brake assembly housing. The brake rod pin was likely in place during the accident flight takeoff given that no scrape marks or gouging were found on the brake rod, indicating that the brake rod had not contacted the runway while the airplane was moving, which would likely have happened if the brake rod was connected only at the shock strut end while the left MLG was in its extended position. The flight crew was unable to extend the left MLG during the approach because the pin had come loose during the flight, which allowed the brake rod to move out of its normal position and become hung up on the landing gear upstop.

The airplane had accumulated 73 flight cycles since the last No. 6 brake assembly change, which would have been the last time that the No. 6 brake rod was removed and reinstalled. The maintenance personnel who performed the No. 6 brake assembly change did not recall anything unusual or concerning about the installation of the brake assembly or brake rod.

The No. 6 brake rod attaching hardware components from the accident airplane were not located after the accident, precluding a determination of why the pin was in place for the takeoff but not when the crew tried to lower the landing gear. As a result, on the basis of the available evidence for this accident, the investigation was unable to determine the reason that the brake rod pin came loose during the accident flight.

Related NOTAM:
!LAX 08/120 LAX RWY 07L/25R CLSD 2008191200-2008192359

Metars:
KLAX 191353Z 00000KT 8SM SCT160 SCT250 23/19 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP105 T02330194 $=
KLAX 191253Z 10004KT 10SM SCT160 SCT250 23/19 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP105 T02280194 $=
KLAX 191153Z 11004KT 10SM FEW012 FEW160 SCT200 23/18 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP104 T02330183 10244 20228 53002 $=
KLAX 191053Z 00000KT 10SM FEW160 FEW200 23/17 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP101 T02330172 $=
KLAX 190953Z 11003KT 10SM SCT120 BKN160 24/17 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP100 T02390167 $=
KLAX 190853Z 09004KT 10SM SCT120 BKN160 23/17 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP101 T02330172 58008 $=
KLAX 190753Z VRB03KT 10SM BKN110 BKN160 24/18 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP107 T02390178 402940206 $=
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N146FE
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
MpbiclmAblfi Subscribe to unlock
Manufacturer
BOEING
Aircraft Model / Type
767-300F
Number of Seats
M Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
B763
Year of Manufacture
Qmmj Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
Hnphj Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Kgejdg Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
A Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
g Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
LAciAdbienA Subscribe to unlock
Engine Type
Jlnphmghb Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
hb l Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
Jbdl ibkl qqljibmhigg hgckgmqgfgpleiigbjgmbibhff bpec Agmkcdel qqggdbpfcbegpkkq nekbfndpmhlgAnqfcndgehnkAdlie Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Aug 19, 2020

Classification
Accident

Airline
Fedex

Flight number
FX-1026

Departure
Newark, United States

Destination
Los Angeles, United States

Aircraft Registration
N146FE

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300

ICAO Type Designator
B763

Airport
Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles

Airport ICAO Code
KLAX

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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