Incident Overview
On September 11, 2007, at 22:36 UTC (01:36 local time on September 12), a Bombardier Aerospace DHC-8-402 operated by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) with the registration LN-RDS was involved in an accident at Vilnius International Airport. The aircraft was conducting flight SK2748, a scheduled passenger service from Copenhagen Kastrup Airport (EKCH) to Palanga Airport (EYPA). At the time of the event, there were four crew members and 48 passengers on board.
Flight History and Anomalies
The flight departed EKCH normally and proceeded uneventfully until the approach to EYPA. Approximately at 20:51 UTC, while on an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to runway 19, the crew extended the landing gear at 1,940 feet. Upon completion of the extension sequence, the landing gear control panel indicated a non-normal configuration. Specifically, the red light for the right main gear (RMA) illuminated, indicating that the strut was neither extended nor locked, while the yellow RMA door light signaled that the doors were not closed.
The crew aborted the landing and initiated a go-around, retracting the landing gear. However, the warning lights for the right main gear remained illuminated. After consulting with SAS technical support in Copenhagen via mobile phone, the decision was made to divert to Vilnius (EYVI). During the diversion, passengers were moved away from the propeller planes of rotation. The crew declared an emergency and squawked code 7700. An attempt to extend the gear using the auxiliary system failed to resolve the unsafe indication for the right main gear.
Landing and Impact
The aircraft arrived at Vilnius and received clearance for an ILS approach to runway 20. During the final approach, the crew selected flaps 35 degrees. At 22:35:09 UTC, the aircraft touched down on the left side of the runway centerline at a speed of 103 km/h. Approximately one second after touchdown, the right main gear strut spontaneously retracted and collapsed. Two seconds later, the crew shut down the left engine.
The aircraft departed the paved surface of the runway and came to rest approximately 40 meters to the right of the centerline, 1,150 meters from the threshold on the grassy safety area.
Damage and Casualties
The collapse of the right main gear resulted in significant structural damage. The airframe contacted the ground via the right engine nacelle, the lower surface of the right engine cowling, the tip of the right wing, and the lower center fuselage. Both front tire tires and one left main gear tire were also damaged.
Despite the severity of the impact, there were no fatalities or injuries among the 4 crew members or 48 passengers. No third-party damage was reported.
Aircraft Data
The aircraft, serial number 4035, was manufactured in 2000 and had accumulated 11,366.55 flight hours at the time of the accident. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW150 engines. The last linear maintenance check (L-check) was performed on September 6, 2007.