Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 3 March 2016
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-95R
Owner/operator: Jet Airways
Registration Number: VT-JGD
Location: Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) – ÿ India
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 128
Component Affected: Main Landing Gear (Aft Trunnion Pin)Main Landing Gear (Aft Trunnion Pin)
Investigating Agency: AAIB IndiaAAIB India
Category: Accident
On April 13, 2015, a Jet Airways Boeing 737-800 experienced a hard landing at Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport after landing at Runway 27. The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a collapse of the right main landing gear, and was subsequently grounded due to a right roll and a tire burst. The landing was carried out by co-pilot and captain, utilizing Supervised Line Flying (SLF). During landing flare, the aircraft floated slightly and the touchdown was normal. The aircraft landed vertically with a 1.44 G acceleration and a 4.57ø roll, followed by a veering to the right with a tire burst noise. The co-pilot initiated taxiway N9, vacated the runway, and the tail of the aircraft was not fully clear. The ATC controller reported sparks from the right side of the aircraft after landing. An investigation revealed a failed main landing gear aft trunnion pin, a result of improper grinding during a previous overhaul. Subsequent maintenance records indicated two sets of trunnion pins had been overhauled, and a precautionary removal of the VT-JGC trunnion pins was performed on August 20, 2015. The Committee of inquiry determined the cause as base metal heat damage from abusive grinding during the last overhaul.On April 13, 2015, a Jet Airways Boeing 737-800 experienced a hard landing at Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport after landing at Runway 27. The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a collapse of the right main landing gear, and was subsequently grounded due to a right roll and a tire burst. The landing was carried out by co-pilot and captain, utilizing Supervised Line Flying (SLF). During landing flare, the aircraft floated slightly and the touchdown was normal. The aircraft landed vertically with a 1.44 G acceleration and a 4.57ø roll, followed by a veering to the right with a tire burst noise. The co-pilot initiated taxiway N9, vacated the runway, and the tail of the aircraft was not fully clear. The ATC controller reported sparks from the right side of the aircraft after landing. An investigation revealed a failed main landing gear aft trunnion pin, a result of improper grinding during a previous overhaul. Subsequent maintenance records indicated two sets of trunnion pins had been overhauled, and a precautionary removal of the VT-JGC trunnion pins was performed on August 20, 2015. The Committee of inquiry determined the cause as base metal heat damage from abusive grinding during the last overhaul.

Description

Jet Airways flight 9W354 was involved in an accident after landing at Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, India. The aircraft landed safely on runway 27 and was about to vacate the runway via taxiway N9 when the right main landing gear collapsed. There were no injuries to any person onboard the aircraft. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The landing was carried out by co-pilot and captain was carrying out Supervised Line Flying (SLF). During landing flare, aircraft floated a little and the touchdown was normal. The aircraft landed with a vertical acceleration of 1.44 G. About 16 seconds after touch down, at a speed of around 58 kts, there was right roll of 4.57ø and the aircraft started veering to the right with a noise which felt like a tire burst to the cockpit crew. To maintain directional control first officer moved the tiller. The aircraft vacated via taxiway N9 and stopped on the taxiway with the tail of the aircraft not fully clear of runway 27. Taxiway N9 is about 2600 meters/8550 feet down the runway 27. Flaps were moved to 40, in case if the situation warranted an evacuation. Thereafter, the captain contacted the Jet Airways dispatcher. Also, the APU was started and engine no.2 was shut down, followed by engine no.1. Meanwhile the airport fire service attended as the ATC controller had observed sparks from the right side of the aircraft after landing. On arrival of passenger stairs, the occupants were safely disembarked through the L1 door and no emergency evacuation was carried out. An investigation revealed that a main landing gear aft trunnion pin had failed as a result of improper grinding during overhaul. Several trunnion pins were overhauled by the same company. The first failure occurred on April 13, 2015 to a Jet Airways Boeing 737-800. During landing rollout at Khajuraho Airport, the left hand main gear aft trunnion pin failed. According to maintenance records two sets of trunnion pins had been overhauled. As a precautionary measure, on 20 August 2015, the aft trunnion pins of VT-JGC were removed from the aircraft. After the accident involving VT-JGD, it appeared from maintenance records that in fact three sets of trunnion pins (including VT-JGD) had been overhauled by the same company. PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT: The Committee of inquiry determined the cause of accident as “The RH Aft landing Gear trunnion pin failed due to base metal heat damage as a result of abusive grinding of the chrome plate that likely occurred during the last overhaul”.

Source of Information

https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20150413-1https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20150413-1

Primary Cause

Abusive grinding of the chrome plate during the last overhaul of the main landing gear aft trunnion pin.Abusive grinding of the chrome plate during the last overhaul of the main landing gear aft trunnion pin.

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