De Havilland DHC-8-311 N433AW

Summary

On 9 January 1993 at about 13:19 local time, a De Havilland DHC-8-311 registered N433AW, operated by Air Wisconsin, Inc., was involved in an incident near Savoy, Illinois, United States. 40 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

9 January 1993 at 13:19

Classification

Incident

Location

Savoy, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

U. of I. Willard Apt (CMI)

Coordinates

40.0602, -88.2503

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-8-311

Registration

N433AW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Air Wisconsin, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Chicago

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

CHI93IA069

Nobody was injured.

THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE INBOARD RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL AXLE DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT WAS DELAYED ON THE RUNWAY AFTER THE FLIGHT CREW EXCEEDED THE POWER NOSEWHEEL STEERING RANGE DURING A TIGHT 180 DEGREE TURN INTO POSITION. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO STRAIGHTEN THE (CASTORING) NOSEWHEEL USING DIFFERENTIAL POWER AND BRAKES, THE CREW CALLED FOR GROUND PERSONNEL TO ASSIST. GROUND PERSONNEL REPORTED THE INBOARD WHEEL OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR (#3 WHEEL) APPEARED TO BE LEANING AGAINST THE STRUT. THE CO-PILOT STATED THE LANDING GEAR APPEARED NORMAL AND THE FLIGHT DEPARTED. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE #3 WHEEL FELL TO THE GROUND. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FRACTURE OF THE AXLE WAS THE RESULT OF THE DEGRADATION AND FAILURE OF THE #3 INNER WHEEL BEARING. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE WHEEL BEARING GREASE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.