Occurrence
On 7 September 2025, a Boeing 737-800 operated by WestJet was conducting a flight from Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Ontario, to Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten. The aircraft carried 157 passengers and 6 crew members. During landing on Runway 10, the right main landing gear collapsed, causing the right engine nacelle to contact the runway surface. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and came to a stop on the runway. All occupants evacuated via emergency slides.
Investigation
Under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the St. Maarten Civil Aviation Authority delegated the investigation to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). The TSB deployed a team to the site and is working closely with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and WestJet.
Findings as of October 2025
Initial review of flight data recorder data indicated that this was not a hard landing event. During the aircraft examination, the right gear aft trunnion pin was found fractured. The two portions of the aft trunnion pin were sent to the TSB Engineering Laboratory in Ottawa, Ontario, and are awaiting further examination. The right main landing gear had been overhauled in 2016.
The evacuation was a planned evacuation conducted on the left side of the aircraft. One reported minor injury occurred during the evacuation; no injuries were reported due to the gear collapse itself. The TSB is also reviewing previous occurrences involving aft trunnion pin fractures on Boeing 737 aircraft.