PHL Area Preliminary Accident and Incident Data
On November 16, 2008, about 0934 eastern standard time, a DHC-8-311 (Dash 8-300), N326EN, sustained minor damage to the aircraft skin and nose gear door when it made a nose gear-up landing at the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airplane had a scheduled departure time of 0745 and departed Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania at 0750. The 2 flight crew, 1 cabin crew, and 35 passengers were uninjured. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. A company instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted by Piedmont Airlines for USAir. The airplane was examined by an inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who responded to the incident. The damage was localized to the nose gear doors and adjoining skin surfaces. No structural damage was reported. During a conference call the flight crew stated that while on initial climbout at ABE the nose gear took about "three to four seconds longer to retract than the main landing gear." They further stated that the entire flight was uneventful until the base leg of the approach to runway 35. The first officer asked for the gear to be extended, the main landing gear extended and were locked, the flight crew received a yellow door light and a red unsafe nose gear light. The flight crew then performed a go-around maneuver, not retracting the gear, and departed the airspace to perform checklist. The flight crew performed the alternate landing gear extension; however the nose gear remained in the wheel well. The flight crew then flew the airplane by the air traffic control tower (ATCT) in order for the ATCT personnel to attempt and see the nose gear. The ATCT personnel reported that the nose gear doors were open but the landing gear was not visible. The flight crew stated that they then proceeded to run further checklist to try and extend the nose gear but were unsuccessful. After several attempts to extend the gear by the alternate gear extension checklist and conferring with the airlines maintenance personnel they elected to return to the airport and perform a nose gear-up landing on runway 27L. The airport rescue and fire fighters responded to the intended runway for landing and applied a foam agent. The airplane's main landing gear touched down and according to witnesses it appeared the flight crew attempted to delay the nose from touching down until the slowest speed possible. The nose of the airplane made contact with the runway and skidded along the runway for about 525 feet and came to a stop. There was no fire reported and the passengers exited the airplane and were taken to the terminal by an airport bus. The airplane's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) were removed and secured by the FAA inspector on-scene. Airport personnel and mechanics then utilized air bags to lift the nose of the airplane off the runway surface. The FAA inspector then looked into the nose wheel well and found the nose gear canted at an angle wedging it in the nose wheel well, using a pry bar, the nose wheel was moved to a normal position and extended freely and locked in the down position. The airplane was then towed to a maintenance hangar and examined. The links on top of the steering column were found to have been broken and pushed upward and the nose wheel over steering pin was still intact. The flight crew reported hearing a "creaking and groaning noise" while taxiing out at ABE, however they felt that this was a "normal" noise. The captain held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi-engine land with a type rating in the accident airplane make and model, and a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA first class medical certificate was issued in August, 2008. The first officer held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-, multi-engine land, instrument airplane, and a type rating in the accident airplane's make and model with second-in-command privileges. Her most recent FAA first class medical certificate was issued in January, 2008. The 0751 recorded weather observation from ABE, the departure airport, reported winds from 270 degrees at 11 knots with gusts of 17 knots, 10 miles of visibility, broken cloud layers at 3,900 feet above ground level (agl), 4,700 feet agl, and overcast cloud layer at 5,500 feet agl, temperature 6 degrees Celsius (C), and an altimeter of 29.61 inches of mercury. The 0954 recorded weather observation from PHL reported winds 280 degrees at 24 knots with gusts of 30 knots, 10 miles of visibility, scattered clouds, temperature 9 degrees C, dew point minus 3 degrees C, and an altimeter of 29.70 inches of mercury. The recorders and associated parts of the nose gear have been retained by the National Transportation Safety Board for further examination.
Report created 11/16/2008
NTSB Identification: ERA09IA056 Scheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier operation of Piedmont Airlines (D.B.A. USAir Express) Incident occurred Sunday, November 16, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA Aircraft: DeHavilland DHC-8-311, registration: N326EN Injuries: 38 Uninjured.
|
|
