Incident Overview
During departure from Newark, New Jersey, the aircrew noted a vibration that ceased after the landing gear was retracted. The crew suspected the vibration was caused by an out-of-round tire or a vibrating gear door and continued the flight. During the approach to Buffalo, New York, the vibration recurred when the landing gear was extended but stopped on final approach. The approach and landing were completed without further incident.
Post-Landing Findings
After landing, an examination of the aircraft, landing gear, and gear doors revealed no reason for the vibration. However, it was discovered that during the flight, a piece of the left trailing edge flap had separated. The separation occurred on final approach, and the detached piece struck a parked car, causing minor damage. Further inspection found evidence of improper surface preparation and bonding during a previous repair of the flap.
Conclusions
The investigation identified that the flap separation was associated with improper surface preparation and bonding during a prior repair. No other mechanical anomalies were found to explain the earlier vibrations.