Boeing B-737-200 N988UA

Summary

On 18 November 1994 at about 13:06 local time, a Boeing B-737-200 registered N988UA was involved in an incident near Springfield, Missouri, United States. 57 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

18 November 1994 at 13:06

Classification

Incident

Location

Springfield, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Sringfield (SGF)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Boeing B-737-200

Registration

N988UA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Denver

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

IMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

FTW95IA049

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF EITHER THE INBOARD OR THE OUTBOARD WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE LEFT OUTBOARD MAIN WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AXLE. SIX RECOVERED ROLLER BEARINGS HAD SEVERELY DAMAGED ROLLING SURFACES; HOWEVER, ALL THE ROLLER ENDS WERE RELATIVELY FREE OF SCUFFING DAMAGE, WHICH INDICATED ADEQUATE LUBRICATION AND BEARING AXLE PRELOAD. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF DEFECTS IN THE KEYWAY. THE LEFT HAND AXLE OUTBOARD END HAD SEVERE RESULTANT DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH A PRIMARY OUTBOARD WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THE MODE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE AXLE NUT WASHER AND LOCK RING WERE NEVER RECOVERED; HOWEVER, THERE IS PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT THEY WERE INSTALLED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.