Fedex B752 at Chattanooga on Oct 4th 2023, hydraulic problem, unsafe gear, main gear up landing, runway overrun

Last Update: October 20, 2023 / 11:00:02 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Oct 4, 2023

Classification
Accident

Airline
Fedex

Flight number
FX-1376

Departure
Chattanooga, United States

Destination
Memphis, United States

Aircraft Registration
N977FD

Aircraft Type
Boeing 757-200

ICAO Type Designator
B752

Airport
Lovell Field, Chattanooga

Airport ICAO Code
KCHA

A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration N977FD performing flight FX-1376 from Chattanooga,TN to Memphis,TN (USA) with 3 crew, was climbing out of runway 20 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting a minor issue requiring them to work checklists. About 15 minutes later the crew indicated they needed to return to Chattanooga and needed some time to run the checklists, no emergency was declared. Another 5 minutes later the crew reported they still needed time to bring the flaps down, then they would be ready for an approach. The crew reported ready for the approach another 4 minutes later and commenced the approach, advising they were having flight control issues but no assistance was needed. While on approach the crew requested to abort the approach advising they now had an unsafe gear indication. The crew subsequently indicated that after landing they would not be able to vacate the runway, they were able to lower their landing gear, and declared emergency. The crew subsequently requested a low approach to have the airport check whether the gear was down. Following the low approach both ground staff and tower reported they could not see any gear. Emergency services were alerted to a "no gear landing" at alert level 3. The crew advised they would be stopping on the runway and would evacuate, they had about one hour of fuel remaining. The aircraft positioned for a no gear landing on runway 20, then advised they wanted another orbit, approach clearance was cancelled. About 10 minutes later the crew intercepted the localizer runway 20 again and touched down about 85 minutes after departure but overran the end of the runway. Tower immediately closed the airfield when the aircraft touched down. There were no injuries.

Chattanooga's fire department reported: "Public safety agencies rushed to the Chattanooga Regional Airport late Wed night after receiving reports that a FedEx757 was on its final approach with a landing gear failure. The call came in at 11:04 PM on 10/4/23. CFD, CPD and HCEMS quickly staged in position and waited."

On Oct 5th 2023 the NTSB announced: "NTSB investigating the Oct. 4 runway excursion involving a FedEx B757-236 due to a gear up landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee."

On Oct 5th 2023 the FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LANDING GEAR ANOMALY, RETURNED TO AIRPORT AND LANDED GEAR UP, CHATTANOOGA, TN."

On Oct 20th 2023 the NTSB released their preliminary report stating:

On October 4, 2023, about 23:47 eastern daylight time, Federal Express (FedEx) flight 1376, a Boeing 757-236, experienced a failure with its left hydraulic system shortly after takeoff from Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport-Lovell Field (CHA), Chattanooga, Tennessee. The airplane turned back to CHA, and, while preparing to land, the landing gear failed to extend normally. The landing gear also failed to extend using the alternate extend system. The flight crew declared an emergency and the airplane sustained substantial damage during the emergency landing. The two flight crew members and the jump seat occupant aboard the airplane were not injured. The flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a non-scheduled domestic cargo flight from CHA to Memphis International Airport (MEM), Memphis, Tennessee.

The flight crew reported that the airplane had no maintenance issues before the flight and that the push-back, engine start, and taxi were all uneventful. The captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. Digital flight data recorder (DFDR) data showed that the airplane departed CHA about 22:24.

According to the flight crew, after rotation and confirmation of a positive rate of climb, the first officer (FO) raised the landing gear control lever to retract the landing gear. DFDR data showed that both the main gear and the nose gear retracted to their up and locked position. About 1 minute later, the flap handle was positioned in its up (flaps 0) position. The flight crew reported that immediately thereafter, a “TE FLAP DISAGREE” message was displayed on the engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS), along with an associated master caution light, a “TRAILING EDGE” discrete light, and the aural alert caution beeper. Per the captain's direction, the FO began accomplishing the “TE FLAP DISAGREE” checklist in the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH).

The FO was able to retract the flaps to their up position via alternate means in accordance with the appropriate checklist contained in the QRH. While completing this checklist, the flight crew received an “L HYD SYS PRESS” EICAS message at 22:24:33 at an altitude of about 1978 ft above ground level (agl). The status page showed that the left hydraulic system fluid quantity was near zero and that the system was not pressurized. The captain directed the FO to run the QRH checklist for “L HYD SYS PRESS”. The flight crew decided to return to CHA.

Upon positioning the landing gear control lever to its down position to extend the gear for landing, the flight crew received a gear unsafe indication via illumination of the amber “GEAR” disagreement light and a “GEAR DISAGREE” message on the EICAS. Also, the lack of illumination of the three green landing gear indicator lights indicated that the gear was not down and locked.

The FO then conducted the “Alternate Gear Extension” procedure embedded in the L HYD SYS PRESS checklist, which was unsuccessful. After multiple attempts to lower the landing gear, the flight crew declared an emergency.

The flight crewmembers asked Chattanooga approach if they could conduct a low approach over the runway so that tower personnel could visually confirm the position of the landing gear.

The airplane descended to about 150 ft agl and flew the length of the runway, which was followed by a go-around. Approach control relayed confirmation that the landing gear was not in the down position. Subsequently, the flight crew completed the deferred items on the “GEAR UNSAFE” QRH checklist and the airplane was cleared to land on runway 20.

The flight crewmembers reported that during the initial touchdown, the airplane bounced slightly but they were able to maintain directional control and the runway’s centerline. The flight crew was unable to stop the airplane and it slid off the departure end of runway 20 and impacted localizer antennas before coming to rest about 830 ft beyond the end of the runway.

After the airplane came to a complete stop, the flight crew performed the “EVACUATION” checklist, and the jump seat occupant attempted to open the left-hand door (L1). The door rotated halfway open and then became bound, and the slide did not deploy. The jump seat occupant then attempted to open the right-hand door (R1), but it became lodged on the packing of the raft/slide. The jump seat occupant subsequently forced the door open, and the slide deployed. The flight crew and the jump seat occupant then egressed the airplane via the R1 door/slide.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear door actuator retract port hose was leaking hydraulic fluid. The hose was removed and retained by the NTSB for further investigation. The examination also found a discontinuity in the wiring of the landing gear alternate extension system. The section of that wire was retained for further examination.



Relevant NOTAM:
!CHA 10/003 CHA RWY 02/20 CLSD 2310050402-2310051600

Metars:
KCHA 050553Z AUTO 10003KT 10SM CLR 19/16 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP188 T01890156 10267 20183 55003=
KCHA 050453Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 19/16 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP184 T01940161 402940144=
KCHA 050353Z 20003KT 10SM FEW080 BKN250 22/16 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP187 LAST T02170156=
KCHA 050253Z 00000KT 10SM SCT075 BKN250 22/16 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP190 T02220156 51007=
KCHA 050153Z 00000KT 10SM FEW075 OVC250 23/16 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP189 T02330156=
KCHA 050053Z 00000KT 10SM SCT075 OVC250 25/15 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP187 T02500150=
KCHA 042353Z 14004KT 10SM OVC250 27/14 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP184 T02670144 10294 20267 53005=
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N977FD
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
EdfpbAnfAfjjicfqq Subscribe to unlock
Manufacturer
BOEING
Aircraft Model / Type
757-236
Number of Seats
hj Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
B752
Year of Manufacture
Dhp Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
Dnheg Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Khpj j Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
H Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
Jc jc Agkq Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
MqAgeeijelnnh Subscribe to unlock
Engine Type
Fphjme cn Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
FeeiA Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
Jflmpkd pbceiegbhnjpAnejkidlhAgin imfdf pilkAl jbmAl A bh fmiiclAmc pne fnblgfcc mdqAdffdfnqkA lc bdbfkkqlnh Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Oct 4, 2023

Classification
Accident

Airline
Fedex

Flight number
FX-1376

Departure
Chattanooga, United States

Destination
Memphis, United States

Aircraft Registration
N977FD

Aircraft Type
Boeing 757-200

ICAO Type Designator
B752

Airport
Lovell Field, Chattanooga

Airport ICAO Code
KCHA

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