Fokker 100 gear-up landing at Stuttgart

[INNflight]

Jet makes emergency landing at German airport - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090914/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_airport_accident)

Reported on Yahoo, apparently a Contact Air Fokker 100 landed gear-up, airport closed until approx. 1600 UTC.

edit: various websites state that only the main gear was not extended, no info on that.

[Dr.Maybach]

AP just reports:

STUTTGART, Germany – A passenger jet made an emergency landing at Germany's Stuttgart airport on Monday, but there were no significant injuries, airport authorities and a passenger said.
The Fokker 100, which was on an internal flight from Berlin's Tegel airport, had problems with its landing gear, the airport said on its Web site.
It said five passengers suffered shock and a stewardess was taken to a hospital for observation.
Among those on board was Franz Muentefering, the chairman of one of Germany's governing parties, the center-left Social Democrats.
"It was a very serious situation," Muentefering said in a statement released by his party. "We circled for a long time, attempted the approach and then had to make an emergency landing."
"All remained uninjured," Muentefering said, thanking the plane's captain for a "masterly performance."
The airport's runway was closed temporarily.

[ATCast]

http://www.volkskrant.nl/multimedia/archive/00167/Noodlanding_167884m.jpg

[first_solo]

http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media_fast/1203/IMG_0597.jpg

[kingair9]

(http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/09/14/332268/contact-air-fokker-100-lands-gear-up-at-stuttgart.html)Contact Air Fokker 100 lands gear-up at Stuttgart (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/09/14/332268/contact-air-fokker-100-lands-gear-up-at-stuttgart.html)

Flight says it had just been delivered http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/eek.gif

Built 1995 but just 3 weeks with Contact Air.

[jettrail]

Planepictures.net search: Registration: D-AFKE (http://www.planepictures.net/netsearch4.cgi?srch=D-AFKE&stype=reg&srng=2)

[vovachan]

In the EI-DON landing last year the pilots did not even realize something was amiss until they saw they couldn't taxi under their own power anymore:eek:

PS: don;t the smaller planes carry an onboard high-tech emergency remote gear activation system, aka poking stick, to unjam the damn thing?

[HeadingSouth]

Glad to see that Mr Müntefering travels on a public plane... :oh:

Where's all that taxpayers money gone ? blankety blank already ??

I would have expected that a bloke of his position would travel in a Hansa Jet or an old Falcon, at least...

Anyway, sad for the bird, I somehow liked the F100...

[Pinky95]

For now a very nice job by the crew for landing the aircraft without serious injuries to pax or crew!

However i am curious to why the landing gear would not go down, especially with the freefall backup system apparantely not working either which i would find troublesome at first glance. We'll probably find out more in a couple of weeks/months with a preliminary report.

Landed on downsloping 07, also favourable for the wind today...

I would say that Mr Muentefering gave a good comment about the situation not giving the media an overexcited quote they can misuse. However i would not have opted to go to the beer festival afterwards myself... politicians! ;-)

[captplaystation]

Not the first ( nor last time) the F28 "family" suffers gear problems.
A rather more common event than on comparable types. :hmm:

[Slats One]

Captplaystation is dead on target.

When I worked out of Schiphol we got so used to F100/ 70 and F28 gear collapses - usually the starboard gear - or stuck gear - that it became a non-event.

So often does this (continue to) happen that there is very clearly, a design or maint related 'issue'.

one wonders how, two decades into this history, it has not been solved.

But then you could say the same about the F50 auto prop feather/reverse system that has recently casued yet another fatal accident.

Other than such foibles, lovely planes and we swore by them (rather than at them) in Africa...

[FlyingScientist]

Müntefering is Party Chairman and Member of Parliament, but does not hold any public office.

[TheBeak]

In the EI-DON landing last year the pilots did not even realize something was amiss until they saw they couldn't taxi under their own power anymorehttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/eek.gif


That's not true. From the crash report:

'The crew of a KD Avia Boeing 737-300, registration EI-DON declared emergency after an unsafe gear indication. A low pass confirmed that the gear was not deployed.'

ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-3Y0 EI-DON Kaliningrad-Khrabrovo Airport (KGD) (http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20081001-0)

[geordierussell]

this also, from the beeb
BBC NEWS | Europe | German plane makes fiery landing (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8255851.stm)

[RIX BT]

Accident video on youtube:
YouTube - SPD-Chef Müntefering an Bord der Unglücksmaschine- Das dramatische Video der Notlandung (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGbmrWvA3R0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Flj%2Dtoys%2Ecom%2F%3Fjournalid%3D618741%26 moduleid%3D1032%26preview%3D%26auth%5Ftoken%3Dsessionless%3A 1252954800%3Aembedcontent%3A618741%25261032%2526%3A8ad0&feature=player_embedded#t=38)

[TheBeak]

Fair enough, cheers Twoonefour and sorry Vovachan.

[F100 driver]

Quote:
Captplaystation is dead on target.

When I worked out of Schiphol we got so used to F100/ 70 and F28 gear collapses - usually the starboard gear - or stuck gear - that it became a non-event.

So often does this (continue to) happen that there is very clearly, a design or maint related 'issue'.

What a load of rubbish. I've flown this type (and the F70) for the last 8 years, amassing about 4,000 hours in the process. In that time I have never had any gear related problems, neither do I recall any problems throughout the company fleet (slightly over 40 aircraft). Design/common problem? I don't think so. A multitude of other (minor) problems possibly but gear? No.

[Herod]

Have to agree with F100 driver. I've also got about 4,000 hours on the type (probably on the same fleet, but a few years earlier), and never came across any gear sticking/collapsing problems, nor heard about any.

[Stop Stop Stop]

I agree as well. I have flown it for about twelve years (probably with the same company as 'Driver') and never had so much as a glitch with the gear- other than the Landing Gear Doorlock Switch warning (which is a non-event- a sensor error basically).

[itsresidualmate]

12 years on F100 as an LAE, only heard of one other gear related problem, from an engineer colleague on EU jet. Apparently one MLG hung up following a hangar input, engineering advice to crew- "Carry out a heavy landing!". Apparently it worked! I know a lot of LAEs on the F100 and I've heard no bad things about the F100 gear.

Unless you lot aren't booking gear-up landings?!

[itsresidualmate]

I seem to recall it was the MLG door that caused the hang-up last time

[ankh]

Are the fireballs visible behind the aircraft while it's in the last moments of motion places where fuel is burning above the foamed runway? I see the fire trucks coming immediately after the aircraft halted (looks like they had a good idea how far it would slide!) and they were spraying well behind the aircraft as they approached it.

[broadreach]

Ankh,

Could be, but if you're racing down a runway wouldn't you like to be sure any stray pieces of hot metal ahead of you were foamed? Nasty things to pick up in one's tyres.

Admittedly, when I saw the clip, first thing I thought of was uh oh, hope he doesn't blind himself with foam and run into the aircraft!

Edited with a bow to Piltdown's post below: if not foam, perhaps water with a fire retarding additive. Either way, with all the sparks and possibility of hot metal on the tarmac, the fire truck drivers would presumably, and sensibly, be playing things safe by hosing ahead.

[Piltdown Man]

Was the runway actually foamed? I thought this practice was discontinued years ago as it served no useful process other than to boost the profits of the manufacturer of the foaming agent. Anyway, the crew did a good job!

And this is a load of tosh as well:

But then you could say the same about the F50 auto prop feather/reverse system that has recently casued (sic) yet another fatal accident.

The most recent problem in this area was with a Luxair aircraft where, due to a fault with an air/ground switch on the landing gear, ground idle became selectable in flight with fatal consequences.

PM

[Dutch Bru]

Obviously the F100 has quite some fans, but I also remembered that the types of this family have a long history of LG failures.

Just to back this up, have a look at the list of incidents over the years:

Aviation Safety Network > ASN Aviation Safety Database > Type index > ASN Aviation Safety Database results (http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?Type=244)

Whether this is statistically significant I don't know, but the distint impression is there.

DB

[tocamak]

Whether this is statistically significant I don't know

Probably not statistically significant (assuming null hypothesis is that the landing gear does collapse) but certainly significant if it happens to you! However I think the "fans" of the type would take issue with tosh like:-

When I worked out of Schiphol we got so used to F100/ 70 and F28 gear collapses - usually the starboard gear - or stuck gear - that it became a non-event.


which seems to give the impression that Fokkers were sliding down the runway on a regular basis. A quick look at the data supplied by Dutch Bru does indicate problems early on with the gear (and some in AMS) but also says more about the geographical distribution of the operators of the type (one ended up in a dry river bed and another fired at with rocket propelled grenades, probably a non event somewhere!).

[Good memories]

Slats One,

The old problems with the gear of the F 100 were caused after landing. At a certain speed a vibration occurred which could brake the strut. After installing shimmy dampers the problem was solved. As far as I remember there were 4 landing accidents. 2 at SPL during test flights. 1 at Eelde during a test flight. 1 at Geneva and 1 at Montpellier during taxi on a training flight.
After the Montpellier accident the AIB detected the vibration by examining the voice recorder.


I have never heard of extension problems on the F 100. Pls. correct me if I am wrong.


Good Flying!

John

[Slats One]

Well Gents, thanks for the abuse- do you think I would type what I did without some basis of fact...

Thanks to Dutch Bru for providing some actual logged events via the Aviation Safety Network listing. Suggets you check out the history.

So its not 'tosh' is it.

What we can perhaps, posssibly say or agree on. is that you guys have not had the level of recent incidents that were prevalent in the past to others than your good selves.

So before slagging me off, think about scenarios beyond your own experience.

On that note I am leaving this forum as it seems anyone who dares to suggest a contrary viewpoint to perceived wisdom is attacked.

FYI: Perceived wisdom is a contracdiction in terms, as it relies upon the perceptions of the individual and the moment to achieve its opinion - which is therefore, selective, time limited and often wrong.

Adieu and fly safe with situational awareness.

[Slats One]

Good Memories - thanks for that point.

FYI - yes F100 has had stuck main gear incidents - as oppossed to the previously more common gear collpase event. F100 stuck main gear incidents prior to this week's, and these inlcude TAM at Sao Paulo and Air Dolomiti.

They were a long time ago, and the trap I fell into was cite incidents from over 10 years ago in an environment where fellow Pruners have not had recent events -so their opinions are different.

I guess I chould have chosen my words more carefully, but the level of reactive 'fire' from some does surprise me.. Just becasue it has not happened to one person does not mean the problem did not happen to another...

As I say, time for a holding pattern...

[tocamak]

So its not 'tosh' is it.


On reflection a bit harsh so apologies.

However the impression given was that at SPL (AMS) it was a common event to have gear problems and this is not the case. The "fans" of the type I suspect come from the largest user of the type at AMS and the combined exposure they have had against the incidence of the problem means that in their experience it just isn't an issue. They also have had exposure to the type since the early nineties so it does go back some way.

[vovachan]

Are the fireballs visible behind the aircraft while it's in the last moments of motion places where fuel is burning above the foamed runway?

I thought it was just heavy sparking? And where exactly would that fuel be coming from? Anyway pls remind me never to travel on this ac if it throws burning fuel on a belly landing:hmm:

[JFA]

Not to mention that TAM really gave the Fokker 100 a bad name overall. Not because of the plane in itself, but because at that time the company was trying to invent a new aviation altogether.

But one cannot really argue about this event until something written comes out of the investigation. Many causes can stick to it easely, but few will hold.

[ankh]

Dunno; I've seen that kind of nearly spherical effect in videos of engines stuttering as well; puffs of vapor of some kind igniting? They're intermittent in the video, the last bright stuff, toward the end. I asked because it appears to begin about the time the aircraft seems to be dragging the right wing a bit. Trust me, I'm utterly ignorant about this vehicle, just asking whether there are two different things going on in the film --- the big shower of hot metal sparks is quite recognizable from the beginning contact; the little round fireball things occur as that's about over, just at the end. Engine backfiring from being banged hard? Just curious.

[greybeard]

An Australian operator has had one main wheel detatch on landing and one scissor link break causing the wheels to not run straight.
Both were a nasty surprise, but no real drama according to those involved.

:ok:

[IAW]

greybeard: Australian aircraft in question was fitted with the older style landing gear. Not sure if this had any bearing on the incident. A stronger steel MLG was introduced to the type after a certain year.

[Dani]

Correct, those with the stronger undercarriage also lift more max take-off weight. As far as I know Contact has the normal version.

Dani

[Juliet Sierra Papa]

Hi Guys, I've been replaying those vids over and over and questions keep coming to mind each time I see it. Was the runway foamed? What is the SOP with regard to engine thrust on landing if MLG is inop? Would this change if foam or no foam? If no reverse thrust and no MLG braking how did this aircraft stop so quickly?
Donning my flak jacket

Thanks....JSP

[Herod]

Friction between several tons of metal and a hard surface.

[Chu Chu]

One hazard of grinding aluminum is that the dust created can potentially reach an explosive concentration. I imagine more than a little aluminum was being ground as the aircraft slid down the runway. I don't know if that explains the fireballs, but it seems like a possibility.

[fokkerjet]

The investigation by the German investigation authorities Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung, with the support of the operator and Fokker Services, has revealed that the cause of the MLG extension problem was the partially blocked hydraulic return line from the main landing gear selector valve. This blockade was caused by a piece of hard plastic. This piece of plastic was identified as a part of the poppet seat of parking brake shutoff valve.

If I recall correctly, all gear problems were F100's, with the Messier-Dowty components; the F70 does not have this gear. According to sources, the most probable
cause of both the main fitting and sliding member cracks was a high compressive stress during
braking at higher deceleration levels, leaving a residual tensile stress at release of the heavy
braking load. Subsequently, this local residual tensile stress results in a negative effect on the
fatigue life of the component.

[NFF PLS RTFM]

Does anyone know what is the MSN for the aircraft concerned ?
Just wondering as it seems similar to the incident with a F100 at Manston some years back where one leg would not come down. It repeated on another occasion on the same ac. It was MSN 11265 (EI-DFZ at the time)

On that occasion the pilot did eventually manage to get the gear down after some tremendous flying. A couple of touch and goes on the extended leg to bump out the un-extended leg.
Just wondering if it is the same a/c.

[the_hawk]

no, it's 11505

[PBD 1]

Yes sometimes the F100 does suffer with gear problems amongst other things! However in spite of everything it is a delight to fly and operate and in addition makes my current type appear antiquainted! Has anyone done more than 4hr.40min airborne in a F100 without ferry tanks? I will always remember one of the cabin crew coming into the cockpit whilst in the hold over MSE in a 2G turn asking both of us if we would like a fun size Mars Bar! Three fly bys of the tower and two touch and goes on a unlocked main gear before a return to "three greens". AFCAS mode reversion, dual FMC failure, frozen APU doors, initiation of GA mode whilst locked on the glide! AAAHHH the memories all flooding back now!!

[ozangel]

just short of 2yrs as a FA on the F100, during that time had 3 landing gear issues.

1) tug driver in cns attempted to push back while the park brake was still on - apparently a big issue on the F100.

2) approach to syd, gear would not indicate safe. tower couldnt confirm it was down. flew around for 20mins with pilots doing a few interesting manouvres to try and force it down. Pilots told us to be prepared for anything. They apparently couldn't find the problem, but flew the a/c to bne gear down and empty to be safe.

3) Tyre blew on takeoff doing a bit of damage along the way on t/o from norfolk island. Circled, landed, got everyone out on the rwy.

[Dani]

Well, tug accident and tyre incident surely aren't a type specific problem. Of course a Fokker is never as reliable as an Airbus or a Boeing, but you cannot compare those, you have to compare them with regional aircraft and other 100-seater, like the Embraers, Bombardiers, MDs aso.

I agree that we have some issues on the gear. Our dispatch reliabilty is sometimes higher than those from the Airbusses from the mainline (same MRO).

Dani
(a few 1000 hrs on type)

[Nimer767]

No Matter of what happend !! Atleast they just can open the doors and escape ,

[LHRops]

Intresting to see that the aircraft was due to fly from Stuttgart to Woenstrecht this afternoon, only what 11 days since the incident,

8000ft is was due to fly at anyone know if it had arrived.

[Piltdown Man]

I'm not being horrible, but...

1) tug driver in cns attempted to push back while the park brake was still on - apparently a big issue on the F100.

It is in any aircraft.

2) approach to syd, gear would not indicate safe. tower couldnt confirm it was down. flew around for 20mins with pilots doing a few interesting manouvres to try and force it down. Pilots told us to be prepared for anything. They apparently couldn't find the problem, but flew the a/c to bne gear down and empty to be safe.

There are three gear down indicators - Greens, Gear disgree MFDU message and EPGWS. Do you know which one yours was? From memory, the only one worth getting excited about is Nose/L Gear/R LG unsafe. The rest are non-events.

3) Tyre blew on takeoff doing a bit of damage along the way on t/o from norfolk island. Circled, landed, got everyone out on the rwy.

Did you catch fire then?

PM

[Stop Stop Stop]

There was an issue a few years ago where main wheels would fall off (usually on take off) which was put down to an incorrect method of refitting wheels after wheel replacement. There should have been a shim placed on the axle and this was omitted, with at least two incidents in my company alone.

This was cleared up with a service bulletin from Fokker Services and we have had no other such trouble since.

[visibility3miles]

Not a pro, so fear to tread on this thread...

Friction between several tons of metal and a hard surface.
In my opinion, that would be more than enough to generate sparks.

As to it being bits of aluminum causing the sparks?

Flint on steel is a classic way to light a fire, or rock striking rock to create a spark.

What is more important is why the landing gear didn't deploy.