Comair Boeing 737 suffers wheel collapse at Johannesburg

[Eclectic]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSPUX70WcAAiu92.png

Also rumoured engine fire!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSPWPY-UYAEGlk6.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSPWPD0UAAAVLER.jpg

[Eclectic]

26 October – Press release
British Airways’ (operated by Comair) BA6234 a 10:35 departure from Port Elizabeth, with 6 Crew and 94 Passengers on board, was involved in an incident on landing at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) just after 12:00 pm today. We can confirm that all passengers and crew safely disembarked with no reported injuries. Passengers have been taken to the terminal building where staff are on hand.
Comair and the relevant authorities will be conducting the necessary investigation over the coming days and weeks. As soon as more information is on hand we will be releasing it to the media.

[Exnomad]

That looks expensive.

[ian16th]

The Daily Fail has got hold of this and published a load of garbage!

Terror-board-BA-flight-captain-announces-landing-gear-broken-crash-lands-jet-Johannesburg-airport. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3289882/Terror-board-BA-flight-captain-announces-landing-gear-broken-crash-lands-jet-Johannesburg-airport.html)

[xs-baggage]

I can't see any reference to "narrowly missing a nearby school". They must be slipping.

[msjh]

That an oldish 737 then?

[gravity enemy]

Of the Classics, only the -300s and -500s can be fitted with winglets. Aviaton Partners never made a kit for the -400.

[Onions]

Comair plane suffers landing gear collapse at Johannesburg airport - BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34639853)

[Trossie]

Love the "...wing seemed completely broken off" bit!! Some people do like to advertise their stupidity in style! (And he is the one who supplied the photos showing the wing that still appears firmly attached!)

[Herod]

Passenger Warren Mann told Traveller24 how the pilot informed those on board shortly before landing that the 'left landing gear had broken off'.


Since it seems the crew didn't know until after touchdown, where does this come from?

[caiman27]

Given that this is being taken by the media as a BA incident, I suspect that the Comair franchise may be up for review soon. If I was running Comair, I would be thinking about a new paint scheme.

[daikilo]

I don't see Comair as an airline is the issue, particularly as BA has only just retired the last of theirs. I do think that there may be an inherent issue with some 737 landing gear attachments.

[Walnut]

Not good for the BA image

[er340790]

I do think that there may be an inherent issue with some 737 landing gear attachments.

Really? Please elaborate.

[ZFT]

Not good for the BA image

Can't see why? Minor incident.

[ManaAdaSystem]

This is a British Aiways accident, not an incident. If it is painted in BA colours, so it is BA no matter who is operating the flight.

[Suzeman]

And of course locally BA had the 744 accident there as well, so BA's image probably not too good in that part of the world.

[vctenderness]

Jo'burg is becoming the BA boneyard.

[mainbearing]

And of course locally BA had the 744 accident there as well, so BA's image probably not too good in that part of the world.

Wait till you see some of the other airline images!!!
Well done to all-whole thing handled very well.
My 2 pence worth, torque link bolt/link broke/came loose, wheel turned 90, end of story-only speculation of course.

[Centaurus]

There was a similar accident (one MLG collapsed during the landing run) about 15 months ago to a New Zealand registered B737-300 freighter at Honiara at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Some time after that a similar accident to another 737 in UK.

[oleostrut]

MLG is very high wear and high maintenance equipment. So much so that many airlines have complete overhaul shops dedicated to just the gear.

Not only the movable pieces, but the trunnions take a beating as well. On an otherwise pristine appearing aircraft it is amazing to see how worn and beat up the gear can be.

Inspectors will quickly determine the cause.

[travelmaneurope]

I guess this is one way to retire your old classics

They could have done it without pax on board

[Gerald_D]

4 days ago in Peru:
2015-10-23 Peruvian Boeing 737-300 gear collapse at Cuzco » JACDEC (http://www.jacdec.de/2015/10/23/2015-10-23-peruvian-boeing-737-300-gear-collapse-at-cuzco/)


2 months ago in Indonesia:
Accident: Cardig B733 at Wamena on Aug 28th 2015, main gear collapse on landing short of runway (http://avherald.com/h?article=48b7a570)


6 months ago in India:
Jet Airways plane's landing gear collapsed at airport in India | Daily Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3036928/Terrifying-moment-Jet-Airways-plane-s-landing-gear-collapsed-touching-airport-India.html)


last year, Solomon Islands:
Airwork (Toll) Boeing 737-300F right main gear collapses today in the Solomon Islands | World Airline News (http://worldairlinenews.com/2014/01/26/airwork-toll-boeing-737-300f-right-main-gear-collapses-today-in-the-solomon-islands/)


etc....

[thcrozier]

"The aircraft was unable to taxi on under its own power.."

[fc101]

Given enough thrust I'm sure you could taxi, gear or not :-)

[oleostrut]

Accident: Cardig B733 at Wamena on Aug 28th 2015, main gear collapse on landing short of runway (http://avherald.com/h?article=48b7a570)


The gear collapse in this one appears to be trunnion failure.

[CaptainSandL]

Yes, but the Cardig trunion failure was caused by the 3.68G landing which was in turn caused by not going around from an unstable approach.

I don't think that the problem is that the 737s landing gear is weak but the beatings they are occaisionally given in some parts of the world is immense.

Any aircraft's MLG will fail if you land hard enough on it.

[Super VC-10]

Report released, flare started too high.
Accident: Comair B734 at Johannesburg on Oct 26th 2015, left main gear collapse on landing (http://avherald.com/h?article=48e5e437&opt=0)

[The Ancient Geek]

Reading the report, the high flare was a contributing factor.
The root cause was an internal oil leak in the shimmy damper, after which the holes in the swiss cheese lined up. The MLG detached as designed to prevent wing penetration, spar damage and a serious consequent fire risk.

Full marks to all involved for the good outcome, it seems that trying to grease it on is a bad idea on the 737.

[DaveReidUK]

Full text here, including FDR readouts and Comair's response to the investigation report:

South African CAA - Aircraft Accident Report and Executive Summary (http://www.caa.co.za/Accidents%20and%20Incidents%20Reports/9494.pdf)

[widgeon]

what sort of animals would be on a 737 , glad to see they were not injured.

[OD100]

Agreed. Here in the US, SWA and a few others and doing a MASSIVE amount of 73x landings every day. I'd imagine SWA is king of the cycles...

Gear seems to be staying on....

[cooperplace]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSPUX70WcAAiu92.png

Also rumoured engine fire!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSPWPY-UYAEGlk6.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSPWPD0UAAAVLER.jpg

plainly not a wheel issue but rather a landing gear issue.