Thomas Cook 757 'Loses wheel on take off'

[robnewman]

ITV Teletext reporting a Thomas Cook 757 flying from Gatwick to Sofia returned to Gatwick after 'the front wheel fell off'.

Made an emergency landing at Gatwick and all ended happily ever after.

Sounds like our journo friends have being having a slow day.

Anyone with any 'facts'?

[GrahamK]

Well I did post about it earlier on, but it seems to have disappeared for some reason.

Was an A320, and not a 757.

Found out about it on that other site

[robnewman]

Story also on Sky News as below:

EMERGENCY LANDING ALERT

A Thomas Cook passenger plane has been forced to make an emergency landing at Gatwick after losing one of its wheels.

The jet, carrying 177 passengers, lost its front wheel soon after taking off from London Gatwick Airport at 2.35pm bound for Sofia in Bulgaria.


The pilot turned back to Gatwick where the aircraft made an emergency landing with fire engines and ambulances standing by as a precaution.

A spokeswoman for Gatwick Airport said the plane had now landed safely, but it was not immediately clear whether there had been any casualties.

The plane's other two wheels are not thought to have been damaged.

The spokeswoman added: "The next step is to get all the passengers off and check they are okay."


It's a bit worrying that Thomas Cook are operating their 757s with only three wheels. My understanding was that a well maintained 757 should have ten wheels attached to the bottom of the aircraft. Losing one would leave nine.

I do, of course, bow to the superior mathematical intellect of the news staff at Sky.

[GemStA]

Watched it from concorde house. Seemed to land "normally" bit of smoke from under carriage then all the lights went out (landing etc) came to a quick stop but veered off between exits...seconds later surrounded by emergency services. Flight deck in my crew room commented it looked like a job well done under circumstances.

Well done to all guys n gals involved....hope your all ok.

[Volmet South]

:confused: How did the crew know that they had lost a nosewheel ?

[BOBBLEHAT]

The runway closed after TCX departed due to debris. That debris was a wheel. ATC passed message to a/c.

[GemStA]

Apparantly the wheel hit a BA engineering hanger. ATC then informed the TCX flight crew who did a fly by to confirm it....was then gone for about 45mins. Presume it would have to dump fuel before landing????

[Kestrel_909]

Well burn it off, don't think the A320 can dump fuel.

After the flyby at 500ft it held at Mayfield for some time and then landed.

[Waldo]

I think it held to allow time for most of the South East's fire engines and Ambulances to arrive. I've never seen so many

[DEH]

All passengers and crew are fine.

Flight has recently departed on 757.

Well done to all the team involved.


Long live the dog.:D

[Farrell]

"The plane's other two wheels are not thought to have been damaged"

I think this sentence just about sums up the media's pain-staking research into their stories!

[codpiece face]

I think they were probally tring to say the other two landing gears were undamaged, which to joe public would have made sense. We would not notice laymans terms on other subjects i am sure.

I heard of a case at a court many years back on which someone i knew was on the jury and the judge/magistrate had to stop the proceedings umpteen times for the evidence to be simplified for everyone to undestand what was actually going on, not only that we have a language in aviation that is very particular to our field.

All i am trying to say is that it is easy to be critical.

[Mick814]

First nose wheel lost on take off - second wheel burst on landing which was text book and a top job by the crew nose wheel down at the very last point. No injuries aaib on route

Congrats to all involved

[mbcxharm]

From the BBC News website:

"Thomas Cook Boeing 737"

I wish I could be as professional as some of these journos...

[Runway 31]

Well done to the crew for getting it down safely

[phiman]

GrahamK
I think you will find it was a 757. The A320 operated by TCX cant hold 177 pax.

[Engine overtemp]

I think you will find it was a 757. The A320 operated by TCX cant hold 177 pax.

Oh yes it can! (http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk/Boeing_A320.htm)

:ok:

[FlapsOne]

Hmmmmmmmm!

That's an intersting link that offers a Boeing 187 as part of the fleet, and helpfully reminds passengers that the pointed end is the front!:confused: :confused:

[Kestrel_909]

I think you will find it was a 757

Then ATC got it wrong too! Very sure I heard 'A320' a few times when listening.

Relistening to the recording, definitely says 'after the A320 on short final for the ground around..' :ok:

[G-BBAE]

How can an aircraft land without its front wheels on take off?
Glad to hear it was nothing more serious and all pax are ok.

[bagpuss lives]

It was most definitely an A320 which was, at one stage, going to divert to Manchester.

A superb job by all concerned.

I think it's a little arrogant to expect everyone to know everything about aviation too. Not only do the media have to understand the subject themselves (and most of the "general" newsdesk staff don't obviously. They can't be an expert in everything they report on can they? And we all make mistakes. Especially when such information may come to the reporters 4th or 5th hand.) but they also have to print information and "stories" in a way the readership will understand and be entertained by.

[SilentHandover]

A big hand must go the the crew of the BA 73 that first spotted what had happened and informed ATC.

It seemed like a very long shift.

[hostiegirl]

tcx airbus has seats for 180 pax :O

[phiman]

My mistake. Am sure a friend who works for TCX told me the A320 only has 160 seats. Sorry.Most important thing all onboard are ok.

[jmccrew]

FLAPS ONE
The link refers to TCX operating 3 757s in a 187 seating config

[supercarb]

B757 has had a few recent issues with nose wheel bearing failures, I heard a while ago....

[maxalt]

I had a 732 nosewheel come off years ago in Africa.
Normal landing...we didn't even know it fell off until the ramp guys started jumping up and down and pointing at the nosegear as we shutdown.

[eahlund]

Funny how the Thomas cook website links to the page
http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk/Boeing_A320.htm

boeing A320?

[FlapsOne]

jmccrew

I'm well aware of that.

Have a look at it, top left, and you'll see the B187 offering 187 seats.

[Spitoon]

Although I have some sympathy with niteflite's comments that journos can't be expected to know all about everything they report on, it is a bit worrying that an airline doesn't seem to know very much about their aircraft!

[hobie]

After reading all the posts I'm still not sure if the a/c involved was a 757 .... A320 .... 737 .... B187 .....

is it any wonder the Press get confused :(

Do I remember a few A320's being set up with four (4) nosewheels:confused:

ps. what is a B187 ? not a P-51D Mustang I hope :ugh:

[er82]

It was a 320. Had a grandstand view of it as it did it's go-around. Engineers were at holding point C waiting to have a look. Before the a/c even got to that point, a nice crew from GB told us that it had lost the whole of the front left nose-wheel.

It went off and held to burn off fuel and no doubt give the cabin crew time to prepare the cabin for an emergency landing. And fire and ambulance crews were gathering to the south.

We managed to get away before it came in, but I 'delegated' the radio to my Capt so I could have a listen in on the emerg freq! Heard the fire crew report that the nose-wheel was now at 90degrees to the a/c, and one (posisbly two?) of the main wheels had burst.

Sounds like a job very well done by the crew involved to get it down safely.

[QAR ASR]

No but AirIndia have 320s with a bogie arrangement on the maingear which gives them 8 mainwheels. A lighter footprint for operating on rough old runways I believe.

[Doug E Style]

My New Year resolution was not to be so pedantic in 2005 but I have to correct the post above: it's Indian Airways that have the A320s with some extra wheels. Oh well, I managed 16 days...

[What does this do?]

Couple of points for clarification:

Aircraft involved was an A320, KD I believe.
The 187 config 757's were for the Canadian Affair contract. Leather seats and loadsa leg room, all very cushy. Think they've been re-configged for winter flying, but will be going back to 187 for next summer. Only 2 aircraft were in 187 config, LJ & LK.

Hope this helps y'all, have a nice day!! :ok:

[hobie]

many thanks for the info guys :ok: :ok: :ok:

[WindSheer]

Well done to the crew.

Just seen an a320 on airliners with 4 bogies. Weird!

[hobie]

like this ......

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/749005/M/

:ok:

[Crewingbod]

Just to confirm, was KD, an A320 due to go to SOF. Fab job done by all concerned especially to all flight crew involved. Job well done, glad you all got home safely. ;) :ok:

[HotDog]

Just seen an a320 on airliners with 4 bogies. Weird!

That would be weird indeed! It looks very much like two four wheel bogies to me.;)

[BBB757]

I was waiting to depart on Saturday night and would like to say well done to ATC.

They handled the situation tremendously and got everybody down and airborne in a very short time.

Cheers :ok:

[Captain Stable]

Well done, indeed. I was in and out of LGW that day. Our landing was delayed just after the A320 (or rather, most of it) got airborne and TWR, APP and DIR all did excellent work. Later on, with ground traffic going all around the houses to get to and from 08L, it didn't help the GMC that his taxyway light control panel seized up on him, and they were all having one of those days that I am sure they were grateful that they train for.

Well done also to the crew of the A320. A potentially very serious situation well handled.

[GOLDEN LION]

Has anyone seen any photo's of the aircraft without the offending wheel attached ???

[LGW Vulture]

From Doug E...."My New Year resolution was not to be so pedantic in 2005 but I have to correct the post above: it's Indian Airways that have the A320s with some extra wheels. Oh well, I managed 16 days..."

Well Mr Pedantic, I think you'll find its Indian Airlines with A320's you describe! ;)

....Anyway, back to the topic, good job well done by all!

[Doug E Style]

How about that; I put a bit of bait out in my post and a (LGW) vulture came and took it.

[Xeque]

I'll tell you what! Going back a bit to Engine overtemps link to the seating plan. Don't fly in seats 1 - 10 D, E and F. They've obviously got even less legroom than the rest of the cattle (sorry) passengers.

[wheelbarrow]

Airbus A320-200
reg: G-BXKD

Gatwick based crew.

WELL DONE!

[Jagbag]

Hi Doug

Maybe it would be better to correct you as I have made no New Years resolution and therefore will be painfully pedantic. There is no airline called Indian airways, however -

It is "Indian Airlines" and they have a number of aircraft with 4 wheel bogie gears. Meant for rough runways. However it seems that it was not necessary as some runway surfaces to which the A 320 operates have improved. As I am currently converting onto this aircraft I find it a very capable aircraft indeed.

[JNX]

Just for info; there where five or six A320 modded with bogie main gear in the late eighties/early nineties of an operation called Modiluft (no prizes for guessing where the geld was) I can assure you It's not an Illyshin !!

[rsoman]

Just for info; there where five or six A320 modded with bogie main gear in the late eighties/early nineties of an operation called Modiluft (no prizes for guessing where the geld was) I can assure you It's not an Illyshin !!

**************


Modiluft never had A320s, they only had 737s.

You are talking about Indian Airlines.

[B772]

To be pedantic the Indian Airlines A320's were fitted with a bogie undercarriage by Airbus to enable operations on low strength pavements in India. I understand the tyre pressures are on the low side also.

[hobie]

I thought we had all looked at this photo link (posted on this thread on 16th Jan) ......

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/749005/M/

[corsair]

When I worked for a certain airline. A main wheel came off a 727 at some point during take off from EMA. No one noticed until it landed and the wheel was never seen again. So if anyone has seen a big wheel anywhere near EMA could they return it please?

[APG]

Two pics of the A320 incident are at Gatwick Aviation Society (http://www.gatwickaviationsociety.org.uk/framepage.htm)

[winglit]

Firstly would like to thank the AAIB for quickly exhonourating Thomas Cook engineering department. It turned out to be a bearing failure that caused it to overheat on the take off roll. It got so hot that it actually welded itself to the wheel nut, sheared the locking devices and wound itself off the axle. the wheel is presently undergoing stripdown analysis at Hatfield as a follow up of the AAIB investigations.

As an engineer I would like to pose a question to any A320 pilots, with reference to the QRH under "Landing with abnormal gear config" It states that engines are to be shut down on flare. Why shut down the engines? When this aircraft landed in a text book landing, engines shut down, rat out, hydraulic pressure dropped. As the nosewheel only had one wheel, it castered round to 90deg to the runway as there was no longer any hyd pressure to keep it in line or even steer. The aircraft ended up nearly slewing off the runway. As such a great load was put onto the nose leg after this incident it was recommended by Airbus that the nose leg be changed. This was done and the aircraft was flying again after five days.

Well done to all involved!!!

Not questioning the airmanship of the crew (As in my opinion they did a great job) but why does the QRH say shut down the engines?

[phoenix son]

winglit,

My only guess on this would be that if the QRH is designed to handle a "non-standard configuration" landing (i.e. bits missing, therefore difficult to say what the aircraft is likely to do when it gets onto the ground), possibly chopping the engines in the final flare removes one potential source of ignition. That was the idea being thrown around the office here anyway?

PHX