ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 367456
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| Date: | Wednesday 31 January 1990 |
| Time: | 15:31 LT |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 |
| Owner/operator: | Eastern Air Lines |
| Registration: | N8978E |
| MSN: | 47327/391 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 58041 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D-7B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 73 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Louisville, KY -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Milwaukee, WI (KMKE) |
| (KSDF) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AFTER LANDING THE FLIGHT CREW NOTED A VIBRATION. LEFT MAIN GEAR TORQUE LINK APEX BOLT WAS FOUND TO HAVE VIBRATED OUT OF THE TORQUE LINK WHICH ALLOWED MAIN GEAR TRUCK TO ROTATE 360 DEGREES DURING LANDING ROLL. THE NUT HAD STRIPPED OFF OF THE BOLT. LABORATORY EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE TORQUE LINK ATTACHING PINS HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. NEW & OLD APEX BOLTS WERE MEASURED. THEY FAILED TO PASS THE MOST STRINGENT QUALITY CONTROL CHECK FOR CORRECT THREAD SIZE. THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE NUT STRIPPED OFF WHEN THE LOOSE TORQUE LINKS ALLOWED EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THE UNDERSIZE APEX BOLT THREADS ALLOWED THE NUT TO SHEAR AWAY THE BOLT PIN DESIGNED TO RETAIN THE NUT.
Probable Cause: THE DISABLING OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR TORQUE LINK WHICH ALLOWED THE TRUCK TO ROTATE FREELY. THE TORQUE LINK WAS DISABLED WHEN EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WAS GENERATED BY EXCESSIVE PLAY OF THE TORQUE LINK PINS IN THEIR BUSHINGS.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL90IA060
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 25 July 1984 | N8978E | Eastern Air Lines | 0 | Augusta, GA | |
non |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Mar-2024 14:40 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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