Incident Overview

Date: Sunday 28 May 1989
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-82
Owner/operator: Continental Airlines
Registration Number: N806NY
Location: Denver, CO – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 45
Component Affected: Right Main Landing Gear Torque Link and Side BraceRight Main Landing Gear Torque Link and Side Brace
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A right main landing gear vibration, initially escalating during the initial landing phase, caused a failure of the right main landing gear torque link and side brace. Subsequent tire failure due to foreign object damage and skidding, and left main tire failure due to overheating, resulted in an emergency evacuation using the tail cone exit. There was no fire.A right main landing gear vibration, initially escalating during the initial landing phase, caused a failure of the right main landing gear torque link and side brace. Subsequent tire failure due to foreign object damage and skidding, and left main tire failure due to overheating, resulted in an emergency evacuation using the tail cone exit. There was no fire.

Description

FOLLOWING TOUCHDOWN FROM A NORMAL LANDING, AND DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE LANDING ROLL, A RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR VIBRATION OF INCREASING AMPLITUDE OCCURRED. THE VIBRATION CONTINUED UNTIL THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR FAILED APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP. EXAMINATION REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE TORQUE LINK, SIDE BRACE, AND SHIMMY DAMPENER. THE RIGHT MAIN TIRES FAILED DUE TO FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE AND SKIDDING. THE LEFT MAIN TIRES FAILED DUE TO OVERHEAT. AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION WAS CONDUCTED USING THE TAIL CONE EXIT, WHICH WAS DEPLOYED MANUALLY. THERE WAS NO FIRE. Probable Cause: A RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR VIBRATION OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN, WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TORQUE LINK AND SIDE BRACE.

Primary Cause

A right main landing gear vibration of unknown origin caused a failure of the right main landing gear torque link and side brace.A right main landing gear vibration of unknown origin caused a failure of the right main landing gear torque link and side brace.

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