What happened
On 25 December 2021, an Airbus A330-343, registered as C-GFAF, was performing an instrument flight rules (IFR) operation from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Florida, to Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Quebec. Upon landing on Runway 06L, the aircraft's right main landing gear bogie beam failed just seconds after the wheels touched the pavement. Simultaneously, the flight crew received cockpit indications of a malfunction regarding the right main landing gear. As the aircraft proceeded through its landing roll, the right gear shock strut made contact with the runway surface. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the runway.
Following the incident, the crew summoned aircraft rescue and firefighting services. The damage to the landing gear was severe enough to prevent the aircraft from being towed from the runway. Consequently, the airport authority closed Runway 06L, and ground vehicles were used to evacuate the passengers and crew to the terminal. The runway was reopened the following morning at 0530 Eastern Standard Time.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the structural failure of the landing gear components. It was determined that the aircraft sustained significant damage specifically to the right main landing gear, while no other parts of the airframe were impacted. There were no injuries reported among the passengers or crew.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure of the bogie beam on the right main landing gear.
- Undetected damage prior to the flight contributed to the structural failure upon touchdown.