| Date: | Monday 1 September 1997 |
| Time: | 21:10 |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas MD-82 |
| Owner/operator: | Alaska Airlines |
| Registration: | N951AS |
| MSN: | 49111/1064 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1982 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 45378 hours |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 116 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, repaired |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, WA (SEA) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX) |
| Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, WA (SEA/KSEA) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A McDonnell-Douglas MD-82, operating as Alaska Airlines flight 255 from Los Angeles, California, to Seattle, Washington, sustained substantial damage when its nose landing gear collapsed during landing roll-out on runway 16L at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Seventeen of the 111 passengers incurred minor injuries during the emergency evacuation commanded by the captain after the airplane slid to a stop. There was no fire.
The flight was uneventful until the landing gear was extended and the nose landing gear warning light indicated an unsafe landing gear indication. At that time, the crew initiated a go-around (retracting the landing gear), climbed to a safe altitude in safe airspace, and then completed appropriate checklists in an attempt to obtain a safe gear-down indication with the landing gear extended. After completing appropriate checklists, the mechanical nose landing gear position indicator indicated that the nose landing gear was extended in a down and locked position, while the light continued to indicate an unsafe condition. The crew elected to land, and requested emergency equipment standing by.
The captain stated that he landed the airplane smoothly; at about 60 knots indicated airspeed, the nose settled onto the runway and the airplane slid to a stop. The airplane slid about 1300 feet and drifted slightly to the right of centerline. He commanded an evacuation.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Fatigue failure of the nose landing gear upper lock link, due in part to reduced strength after the manufacturing process was changed from forged to machined plate stock; and inadequate non-destructive inspection process for testing the link."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation