Plane Crash List

Boeing 737-300-3H4 N331SW

30 April 1996 · Ontario, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 30 April 1996 at about 21:36 local time, a Boeing 737-300-3H4 registered N331SW was involved in an incident near Ontario, California, United States. 132 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.

The record

Date
at 21:36
Classification
Incident
Location
Ontario, California, United States
Nearest airport
Ontario International (KONT)
Coordinates
34.0204, -117.5794
Aircraft
Boeing 737-300-3H4
Registration
N331SW
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Las Vegas → Burbank
Aircraft damage
Minor
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX96IA184

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
132 0 0 0 132

Probable cause

The repair facility's improper assembly of the landing gear oleo strut during overhaul.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported an unresolved main landing gear problem and orbited the area performing normal emergency gear extension procedures without success. The pilot performed low 'G' maneuvers and touch-and-go landings in an attempt to lower the left main gear. The pilot diverted to another airport where an emergency landing was made with minor damage and no injuries. The landing gear was removed and disassembled. The upper bearing carriers and bearing half shells were found out of position in the upper portion of the oleo strut. The subsequent over extension of the strut was a result of the gradual breakup of the bearings and bearing carriers due to improper/incompatible wear surfaces from the repair facility's improper assembly at overhaul. The compression/extension measurements after installation were not required.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 737 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Mar 1996 Boeing 737-200
EICLK
Jacksonville, Florida, United States Air South Airlines, Inc. No injuries -
20 Nov 1996 Boeing 737-500
N916UA
Bishop, California, United States
no coordinates
- Serious injuries -
8 Jul 1996 Boeing 737-200
N53SW
Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Serious injuries -
19 Nov 1996 Boeing 737-222
N9038U
Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
- Serious injuries -
7 Jun 1996 Boeing 737-322
N371UA
San Francisco, California, United States United Airlines, Inc. No injuries -
29 Aug 1996 Boeing 737-300
N392US
Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
no coordinates
US Air Serious injuries -

All 1,317 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Mar 1996 Maule M-6-235
N5652C
Bishop, California, United States - No injuries -
11 Oct 1996 Cessna 210A
N9403X
Truckee, California, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
8 Mar 1996 Cessna 152
N49048
Santa Paula, California, United States - Serious injuries -
3 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N5705U
Plymouth, California, United States - No injuries -
13 Mar 1996 Cessna T210M
N8683M
Grass Valley, California, United States - Serious injuries -
14 Mar 1996 Cessna 172L
N7668G
Napa, California, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States