Boeing 727-200 N710AA
22 September 1988 · Dfw Airport, Texas, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 22 September 1988 at about 02:42 local time, a Boeing 727-200 registered N710AA, operated by American Airlines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Dfw Airport, Texas, United States. 88 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:42
- Classification
- Incident
- Location
- Dfw Airport, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Dfw Reg. (DFW)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-200
- Registration
- N710AA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 3
- Operator
- American Airlines, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Oklahoma City → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Bright
- NTSB number
- FTW88IA165
People
4 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 84 |
Probable cause
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR PIVOT TRUNNION SHAFT WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME LODGED IN THE ACTUATOR CLEVIS PREVENTING THE DOOR UNLOCK MECHANISM FROM ACTUATING DURING GEAR EXTENSION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
ACFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN THE PLT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY GEAR UP LANDING FOLLOWING THE FAILURE OF THE MLG TO EXTEND USING NORMAL, ABNORMAL, AND MANUAL PROCEDURES. ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE NLG EXTENDED AND THE MAINS RETRACTED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MLG DOOR ACTUATOR PIVOT TRUNNION UPPER SHAFT HAD FAILED AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE FRACTURE. FOLLOWING THE FRACTURE, THE SEPARATED SHAFT HAD BECOME JAMMED BETWEEN THE TRUNNION AND THE ACTUATOR CLEVIS WHICH PREVENTED THE MANUAL DOOR UNLOCK MECHANISM FROM RELEASING. A REVIEW OF THE SERVICE DIFFICULTY HISTORY OF THE FAILED PART INDICATED THAT SEVERAL SIMILAR FAILURES HAD OCCURRED ON MANUFACTURED PARTS AND THAT A REDESIGNED PART WAS AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. THE OPERATOR HAD COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE REQUIRED INSP'S.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Boeing 727 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul 1988 | Boeing 727-100 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Connie Kallitta Services | No injuries | - |
| 17 Oct 1988 | Boeing 727-200 | St. Thomas | American Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 1988 | Boeing 727-232 | Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 14 |
| 26 Dec 1988 | Boeing 727-25 | Morgantown, West Virginia, United States | Eastern Air Lines, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 1988 | Boeing 727-232 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1988 | Boeing 727-290 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Alaska Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 1988 | Aero Commander 100-180 | Mineola Quitman, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1988 | Piper PA-28-235 | Littlefield, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jan 1988 | McDonnell Douglas DC-10 | Dfw Airport, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 Jan 1988 | Beechcraft V35B | Temple, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jan 1988 | Bellanca 17-30A | Borger, Texas, United States | J & W Operating Co. | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Jan 1988 | Cessna 152 | Tomball, Texas, United States | Merri Worth Aviation | Minor injuries | - |