Event Description
During the landing roll after touchdown, the flight crew of a commercial passenger jet noticed a vibration that increased in severity as the airplane decelerated. This was followed by the airplane tilting and yawing to the left. The pilot-in-command applied rudder and braking, and stopped the airplane near the center of the runway.
Examination Findings
Examination of the left main landing gear (MLG) revealed that the upper torque link had failed, which allowed the sliding strut to pivot and subsequently caused the separation of both left MLG wheels. A tolerance check of the upper and lower torque links showed that the clevis lug and pintle pin clearances were out of specifications. Additionally, several small fatigue cracks were observed in the vicinity of the torque link fracture.
Inspection History
Inspection criteria required the MLG and tolerances to be checked every 1,150 hours during the 'B' check. The last inspection of the left MLG occurred 475 hours prior to the accident. The airplane records revealed a recent history of landing gear vibrations.