What happened
During a scheduled flight originating in Pittsburgh with an intended stop in Parkersburg before continuing to Cincinnati, the crew encountered mechanical difficulties involving the right main landing gear while at Parkersburg Airport, West and Virginia. In response to the technical issue, the captain increased engine power and elected to divert back to the Greater Pittsburgh Airport for an emergency landing.
Upon arriving at Pittsburgh, the aircraft type (unspecified model) touched down on runway 28R. Because the right main gear was missing its wheels, the aircraft struggled to maintain its path and drifted toward the right side of the runway. During this excursion, the left main gear also collapsed. The impact resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair. Despite the severity of the structural failure, all 53 occupants were able to evacuate the plane without any injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the right main gear lower assembly had detached during the initial operations at Parkersburg Airport. This separation was caused by a worn lock pin within the upper bearing, which sheared under operational stress. The subsequent failure of the landing gear components, specifically involving the shock-absorbing assembly and strut attachments, led to the loss of the gear components prior to the diversion.