Boeing 737-400 N413US

Summary

On 2 August 1989 at about 14:55 local time, a Boeing 737-400 registered N413US, operated by Piedmont Airlines, was involved in an incident near Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. 106 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 August 1989 at 14:55

Classification

Incident

Location

Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Greensboro (GSO)

Coordinates

36.1191, -79.8907

Aircraft

Boeing 737-400

Registration

N413US

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Piedmont Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Washington → Charlotte

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89IA187

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE LINE MECHANIC, A CHECK MECHANIC, AND FIRST OFFICER TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE THE WHEEL CHOCK FROM THE WHEEL WELL DURING THE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING APPROACH TO CHARLOTTE, THE MAIN GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. THE FLT DIVERTED TO GREENSBORO. THE RIGHT GEAR EVENTUALLY EXTENDED AFTER APPLYING EXTENSIVE G-FORCES, BUT THE LEFT GEAR WOULD NOT. AFTER LANDING, A 29-INCH WHEEL CHOCK WAS FOUND WEDGED BETWEEN THE RADIUS OF THE LEFT WHEEL WELL AND THE INBOARD WHEEL WHICH PREVENTED THE LEFT GEAR FROM FALLING DOWN. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN POSITIONED SEVERAL TIMES THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND THE MECHANICS RECALLED PLACING THE CHOCKS IN THE WHEEL WELL. AN A-CHECK, AND A WALK-AROUND INSPECTION, HAD BEEN COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT'S DEPARTURE FROM WASHINGTON. EACH INSPECTION REQUIRED AN INSPECTION OF THE WHEEL WELL AREA. THE FIRST OFFICER STATED THAT HE DIDN'T SEE THE CHOCK WHICH WAS MARKED WITH YELLOW REFLECTIVE TAPE. A FLASHLIGHT WAS USED DURING THE INSPECTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.