What happened
On 24 September 1998, a Fokker F28 Mk 100, registration G-UKFK, was performing a scheduled public transport flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to Belfast. The aircraft departed from Runway 01L without initial difficulty; however, shortly after rotation, a pilot in a nearby aircraft observed a component separating from the aircraft.
Upon investigation by the flight crew via a fly-by over Runway 01R, ground personnel confirmed that the left-hand outboard mainwheel had detached from the aircraft. While the brake pack remained attached to the gear, the crew faced uncertainty regarding the structural integrity of the remaining landing gear. To mitigate risks, the crew spent approximately one hour reducing the aircraft's weight through fuel burning and prepared for an emergency landing. The aircraft returned to Schiphol and landed on the right main gear. During the landing roll, the crew utilized full reverse thrust and maintained the left wing in an elevated position using the aileron until the speed dropped to approximately 80 kt.
The investigation
The investigation examined the maintenance history of the aircraft, noting that a wheel change had been conducted the previous evening at Newcastle Airport by an external maintenance provider. Investigators discovered that the missing circular spacer, which is required between the wheel nut and the wheel assembly, had been left at Newcastle, still attached to the removed wheel.
Technical analysis revealed that this event mirrored a previous incident involving the same operator at Aberdeen in February 1998. In both instances, the failure was attributed to the omission of the spacer during maintenance procedures.