What happened
On the morning of 27 October 2024, a Safair Boeing 737-800, registered ZS-ZWY, arrived at Lanseria International Airport from Cape Town International Airport. Following a standard landing on Runway 07, the crew began taxiing toward the parking bay. During this process, the flight crew noted that the aircraft required significantly higher engine thrust—increasing N1 from 36% to 56%—to maintain taxi speed due to unexpected resistance.
Upon reaching the parking bay, an aircraft maintenance engineer performed a walk-around inspection and discovered smoke originating from the right main wheel assembly. The inspection further revealed metal deposits and an anomalous angle in the wheel assembly. No injuries were reported among the 184 passengers or the 6 crew members on board.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID established that the Number 4 main wheel assembly had sustained damage. The inspection of the assembly revealed that the inner hub was broken and the brake unit showed signs of heat-related damage, with temperatures reaching approximately 260°C and visible melted metal.
Further examination found that the bearing had ceased operating and had become stuck within the axle. While the axle itself showed no signs of cracks or overheating, the mechanical failure of the bearing was a primary component of the incident. The damaged wheel, bearing, and brake assembly were replaced, and the aircraft was returned to service the same day.