Fokker F28 MK 0100 N1448A

Summary

On 3 October 2001 at about 13:36 local time, a Fokker F28 MK 0100 registered N1448A was involved in an accident near DFW Airport, Texas, United States. 86 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 October 2001 at 13:36

Classification

Accident

Location

DFW Airport, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Dallas-Fort Worth Intl (DFW)

Coordinates

32.8911, -97.0358

Aircraft

Fokker F28 MK 0100

Registration

N1448A

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tulsa → DFW Airport

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02FA003

Nobody was injured.

The collapse of the nose landing gear as a result of the failure of company maintenance personnel to follow the proper procedures for a towing the airplane with an unsafe nose landing gear indication. Contributing factors were the inadequate communication between the company maintenance personnel, the inaccurate instructions provided to the maintenance crew, and the failure of the nose landing gear's locking mechanism.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on final approach to the runway the captain received an unsafe nose landing gear indication on the multi function display unit (MFDU) in the cockpit. The captain abandoned the approach and "recycled the gear per procedures to no avail." Subsequently, the airplane landed on runway 13R, rolled out, and came to a stop on the runway. An evacuation of the airplane was not initiated. A maintenance crew met the airplane on the runway and placed locking pins in the gear. Multiple simultaneous communications/conversations ensued between the maintenance crew, a maintenance supervisor, a maintenance crew chief and the flight crew. During the communications, the flight crew questioned maintenance personnel on whether or not it was necessary to strap the gear, the supervisor searched the maintenance manuals and didn't find any reference to strapping the gear, and informed the maintenance crew that it was not necessary to strap the gear prior to towing. Review of the maintenance manual found numerous warnings regarding towing the airplane with an unsafe nose landing gear indication. Meanwhile, a maintenance crew chief was informing the maintenance personnel that strapping of the gear was required; however, there was no strap at the airport. Despite a placard, located on the nose landing gear door, the maintenance crew attempted to tow the airplane without strapping the nose landing gear. Subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed and the nose of the airplane came to rest on the towbar. The passengers were then deplaned and transported to the terminal by a bus. Examination of the nose landing gear did not reveal the reason for the down-lock plunger to engage when the nose landing gear was extended.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.