What happened
On 27 February 2023, at approximately 1500 local time, a T-38A Talon, tail number 67-14831, experienced a nose gear collapse while inside a maintenance hangar at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The aircraft, which was assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, had been moved to the facility earlier that day following a period of corrosion control and painting work.
A civilian maintainer was performing lubrication tasks on the nose landing gear (NLG) assembly when the front end of the aircraft suddenly gave way. The collapsing structure pinned the maintainer underneath the airframe. Nearby personnel worked to lift the nose section, allowing the worker to be extracted. Emergency responders arrived shortly after, and the injured individual was airlifted via Life Flight to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, for treatment of multiple bone fractures.
The investigation
The Accident Investigation Board (AIB) examined the sequence of events leading to the collapse and reviewed maintenance records and witness statements. Investigators focused on the status of the nose landing gear safety pin and the specific methods used during the lubrication process. Evidence showed that while the safety pin was properly installed prior to the incident, it was found on a tool cart following the mishap.
Findings
- The primary cause of the collapse was the removal of the NLG safety pin combined with physical force applied to the landing gear assembly during maintenance.
- The maintainer was using his hands to manually work grease into lubrication points rather than utilizing a specialized lubrication kit.
- The investigation established that the removal of the safety pin, which is intended to lock the gear in the down position, left the assembly vulnerable to retraction when force was applied during the task.
- A contributing factor was a pattern of behavior by the maintainer involving repeated deviations from standard operating procedures (SOPs).