Incident Overview
On a flight from Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport, the aircraft was cleared to land on runway 09 at Miami International Airport. The first officer reported a smooth touchdown, with the right main landing gear contacting first followed by the left. The aircraft was positioned slightly to the right of the centerline, which was corrected after touchdown.
Runway Excursion
Shortly after touchdown, the flight crew perceived a vibration on the left side. The vibration escalated, and the aircraft began veering to the left despite the crew's attempts to maintain the runway centerline. The aircraft subsequently departed the paved runway surface and struck the glideslope equipment building for runway 30, situated to the left of runway 09. The impact caused the collapse of the nose landing gear and the right main landing gear.
Post-Crash Fire and Evacuation
The collision breached the right wing fuel tank, initiating a post-crash fire that started on the right wing. The fire was rapidly extinguished. All 140 occupants evacuated the aircraft, and four passengers were transported to Jackson Hospital.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the collapse of the left main landing gear during the landing roll resulted in a loss of controllability and a runway excursion. Two specific failures were identified: the left shimmy damper failed to adequately dampen vibration during landing, and the left main gear downlock mechanism failed due to excessive vibration. The structural failure of the left main landing gear downlock, following ineffective shimmy dampening, caused the gear collapse. The crew's performance was evaluated and found appropriate for the circumstances.