Serious incident Boeing 737-3H4 N371SW,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 59964
 
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Date:Tuesday 12 May 2009
Time:18:45 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic B733 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing 737-3H4
Owner/operator:Southwest Airlines
Registration: N371SW
MSN: 26598/2500
Year of manufacture:1993
Total airframe hrs:52892 hours
Engine model:CFM 56
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 53
Aircraft damage: Minor
Category:Serious incident
Location:Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU/KHOU) -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:New Orleans-Louis Armstrong International Airport, LA (MSY/KMSY)
Destination airport:Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU/KHOU)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Southwest Airlines flight WN519, a Boeing 737-3H4, experienced a fire in the area of the right main landing gear when three of the four main landing gear tires blew-out during the landing on runway 22 at the Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU). The airplane sustained minor damage. The 2 flight crew, 3 flight attendants, and 48 passengers evacuated the airplane on to the runway.
Two passengers suffered minor injuries during the evacuation.

Prior to the flight, the flight crew and dispatcher were aware that the anti-skid system was inoperative. They had requested and were granted use of the longest runway for landing. The captain made a normal landing in the target area. After touchdown, he reduced the thrust levers to idle, rapidly brought the speed brake to the full-up detent, employed reverse thrust, and applied manual wheel braking. Marks on the runway showed that about 550 feet after initial touchdown, the right main landing gear tires blew. The tower controller and other aircraft advised the flight crew that there was a fire in the area of the right main landing gear. After the airplane came to a stop, the captain initiated an emergency evacuation on the runway. All 54 persons on-board exited the airplane in 57 seconds, and the fire was extinguished soon after. Two passengers reported minor injuries. The airplane sustained minor damage to the right main landing gear and a portion of the right flap. Examination of data retrieved from the flight data recorder showed that during the touchdown and landing roll, at 19:45:31, the recorded left brake pressure was 770 pounds per square inch (psi). The maximum recorded right brake pressure was 1430 psi at 19:45:32. The maximum recorded left brake pressure was 990 psi. With the anti-skid system disabled, the pilot applying excessive braking during touchdown would cause the wheels to lock and the associated tires to blow. The airplane's quick reference handbook states "Use minimum braking consistent with runway conditions to reduce the possibility of a tire blowout."

Probable Cause: The pilot's inadvertent application of excessive braking after touchdown, which caused the right wheels to lock and several tires to blow and resulted in a subsequent brake fire.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN09IA294
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 8 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CEN09IA294

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
12-May-2009 21:05 slowkid Added
13-May-2009 10:40 CAN Updated
14-May-2009 21:01 lufegimenez Updated
21-Dec-2016 19:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]

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