DJ737
3rd Mar 2004, 07:23
From the Townsville Bulletin
Reporter Tony Raggatt
VIRGIN Blue has confirmed a spring from the landing gear of a Boeing 737-700 aircraft fell on to a Townsville home, leaving a "ding" in the roof.
The incident only came to light yesterday when a document was handed to the Townsville Bulletin.
The incident, which occurred on January 13, was reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau which investigated and, after speaking with Virgin Blue, took no further action.
Virgin Blue spokesman David Huttner said yesterday the airline was not happy the incident occurred although it had not affected the safety of the aircraft.
"Anything on an aircraft coming loose, it does create a risk for people on the ground," he said. "There was no aviation risk but that does not mean we don't take the matter seriously."
According to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau incident report, an air traffic controller had advised the crew of the aircraft that a resident living underneath the flight path to runway one found a 15cm spring that was believed to have fallen from the aircraft.
It says an inspection by the pilot found a missing left main landing gear uplock spring.
Bureau spokesman Peter Saint said the bureau spoke to the operator and while it considered the issue serious, it did not commit to sending an officer to Townsville to take the matter further.
"If there were systematic occurrences then, of course, it would be different," he said.
Mr Huttner said Virgin Blue had recovered the spring from the resident and made arrangements to replace a metal roof panel.
"There was a ding in one of the sheet metal panels," he said.
Mr Huttner said the spring, which weighed between 100g and 150g, was one of two uplock springs in the wheel assembly that manufacturer Boeing had warned in December were known to come loose.
While it was the only instance of a spring coming loose from a Virgin Blue aircraft, Boeing had warned there had been a number of cases overseas in which springs had come loose, he said.
"We were not happy about it and we put in orders (to Boeing) right away (for replacement parts)," Mr Huttner said.
He was unsure last night whether Boeing had provided replacement parts.
DJ737
The Roo Rooter :E :ok:
Reporter Tony Raggatt
VIRGIN Blue has confirmed a spring from the landing gear of a Boeing 737-700 aircraft fell on to a Townsville home, leaving a "ding" in the roof.
The incident only came to light yesterday when a document was handed to the Townsville Bulletin.
The incident, which occurred on January 13, was reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau which investigated and, after speaking with Virgin Blue, took no further action.
Virgin Blue spokesman David Huttner said yesterday the airline was not happy the incident occurred although it had not affected the safety of the aircraft.
"Anything on an aircraft coming loose, it does create a risk for people on the ground," he said. "There was no aviation risk but that does not mean we don't take the matter seriously."
According to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau incident report, an air traffic controller had advised the crew of the aircraft that a resident living underneath the flight path to runway one found a 15cm spring that was believed to have fallen from the aircraft.
It says an inspection by the pilot found a missing left main landing gear uplock spring.
Bureau spokesman Peter Saint said the bureau spoke to the operator and while it considered the issue serious, it did not commit to sending an officer to Townsville to take the matter further.
"If there were systematic occurrences then, of course, it would be different," he said.
Mr Huttner said Virgin Blue had recovered the spring from the resident and made arrangements to replace a metal roof panel.
"There was a ding in one of the sheet metal panels," he said.
Mr Huttner said the spring, which weighed between 100g and 150g, was one of two uplock springs in the wheel assembly that manufacturer Boeing had warned in December were known to come loose.
While it was the only instance of a spring coming loose from a Virgin Blue aircraft, Boeing had warned there had been a number of cases overseas in which springs had come loose, he said.
"We were not happy about it and we put in orders (to Boeing) right away (for replacement parts)," Mr Huttner said.
He was unsure last night whether Boeing had provided replacement parts.
DJ737
The Roo Rooter :E :ok: