Right main landing gear collapse during touchdown

Casualties unknown • Atlantic City, NJ, US

An aircraft experienced a right main landing gear collapse upon touchdown on runway 31, causing the plane to veer off the side of the runway.

What happened

The aircraft touched down on runway 31. Immediately following touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, which caused the airplane to veer off the right side of the runway.

The investigation

Investigators discovered that the aircraft had recently undergone a modification intended to increase its gross operating weight from 14,500 to 16,000 pounds. During the examination of the landing gear components, it was found that both actuator positioning cams had been ground down at the down lock lobes. The removal of material from these cams is not an authorized procedure for this aircraft.

Additionally, the investigation revealed that the outer races of both right main landing gear down lock roller bearings had failed. During the recovery efforts, the FAA located one bearing in pieces on the runway, while the second bearing was not recovered.

Probable cause

The failure of the outer races of both right main landing gear down lock roller bearings, following unauthorized grinding of the actuator positioning cams.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1991-09-29 Fairchild SW3 accident near Atlantic City, NJ?

An aircraft experienced a right main landing gear collapse upon touchdown on runway 31, causing the plane to veer off the side of the runway.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1991-09-29 involved a Fairchild SW3, registration N159MC, operated by Jet Express, Inc., at Atlantic City, NJ.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The failure of the outer races of both right main landing gear down lock roller bearings, following unauthorized grinding of the actuator positioning cams.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X18178. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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