What happened
On April 15, 2008, an EVA Airways MD-90-30, registration B-17913, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Taoyuan International Airport to Kaohsiung International Airport. The aircraft was carrying 43 people, including 36 passengers and 7 crew members.
During the takeoff roll on Runway 06, the co-pilot called "rotate" once the aircraft reached rotation speed. At this moment, the co-pilot moved the landing gear control lever to the "UP" position. Shortly after the gear was retracted, the flight crew heard loud thumping noises coming from beneath the fuselage. The landing gear position indicators then displayed two red lights.
Ground personnel at Taoyuan reported seeing smoke and hearing a loud burst during the takeoff. Debris, including tire fragments and metal pieces, was found on Runway 06. The crew followed the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) procedures for "Red Light Illuminated With Landing Gear Handle Up." Due to the uncertain extent of the damage, the crew performed two low-altitude approaches at Kaohsiung International Airport to allow ground personnel to visually inspect the aircraft. After confirming damage to the number 4 tire and the left landing gear door, the aircraft landed on Runway 09 and came to a stop approximately 6,110 feet from the threshold. There were no fatalities or injuries.
The investigation
The Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) examined the aircraft's mechanical systems, flight data recorder, and cockpit voice recorder. The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing gear retraction and the resulting structural damage. The investigation established that the left and right landing gear doors sustained significant damage, with parts of the inward gear doors being lost or deformed. The inspection revealed that the number 3 and number 4 tires and their respective rims were severely damaged, with the number 4 tire experiencing a complete burst and significant rim wear from contact with the runway.
Findings
- The co-pilot retracted the landing gear lever to the "UP" position before the pilot had issued the "Gear Up" command.
- The co-pilot failed to follow the standard takeoff procedure and callouts, specifically failing to confirm a positive climb rate and calling "Positive Climb" after the "Rotate" call.
- The landing gear was retracted while the main wheels had not yet left the ground, causing the landing gear doors to strike the runway surface.
- The impact of the gear doors against the ground caused the tire bursts and significant damage to the landing gear assemblies and the aircraft's wing structure (including punctures to the flaps).
- The aircraft's landing gear mechanism was designed such that the mechanism would actuate as long as the nose gear was off the ground and the lever was up, without considering the status of the main wheels.