On March 21, 1996, a Boeing 737-200 (registration EICLK) operated by Air South Airlines, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Jacksonville, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The nose gear taxi light separated from the nose landing gear when the aluminum support bracket failed. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
During takeoff, a nose gear taxi light separated after its aluminum support bracket failed; debris was ingested by both engines, damaging fan sections. The bracket, made by Grimes, had a stainless steel replacement available since 1992.
Accident Sequence
During takeoff, the nose gear taxi light separated from the nose landing gear when the aluminum support bracket failed. The debris from the taxi light was ingested by both engines, causing damage to the fan sections.
Component and Bracket Information
The nose gear taxi light assembly is manufactured by Grimes Aerospace Company. In June 1992, Grimes began offering a stainless steel support bracket to replace the aluminum support bracket. In-service history showed that the aluminum support bracket was prone to cracking due to damage from the nose gear tow bar during towing operations. The stainless steel bracket is resistant to this type of damage.
Service Bulletins and Letters
The change to the new stainless steel bracket was the subject of Grimes Service Bulletins in 1992 and 1993, and a Boeing Service Letter in 1994.
Probable cause
The nose gear taxi light separated from the nose landing gear when the aluminum support bracket failed.
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