Incident Overview
During a landing approach to runway 4R, the pilot reported feeling a vibration after becoming established on the glide slope. The flying characteristics of the airplane subsequently degraded, prompting the pilot to make corrective inputs, which were successfully applied. No cockpit warnings or failure indications were observed. The airplane touched down approximately two minutes later and taxied to the gate without further incident.
Post-Flight Inspection
Following the landing, an inspection of the airplane revealed that the No. 2 flap vane had separated from the right wing. The vanes are movable surfaces on the trailing edge of the wing that deploy during landing to increase lift and drag.
Laboratory Analysis
The separated flap vane was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory for examination. Testing determined that the separation occurred due to stress corrosion and fatigue cracking. The cracks initiated at the lug bore of the vane attachment fitting, leading to eventual failure.
Operational Impact
The flight crew did not report any further anomalies during the taxi or shutdown. The aircraft was removed from service for maintenance and replacement of the damaged component.