Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A N40SZ

Summary

On 9 June 2005 at about 01:37 local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A registered N40SZ, operated by Shuttle America Corporation, was involved in an incident near Dulles, Virginia, United States. 30 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 June 2005 at 01:37

Classification

Incident

Location

Dulles, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Washington Dulles Internationa (IAD)

Coordinates

38.9444, -77.4558

Aircraft

Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A

Registration

N40SZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Shuttle America Corporation

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

White Plains → Dulles

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC05IA093

Nobody was injured.

Failure of the right main landing gear to extend and lock for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing during touchdown.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the approach, the flightcrew was unable to get the right main landing gear extended and locked. After several attempts, while conferring with the checklist and company personnel, the flightcrew performed an emergency landing with the unsafe landing gear indication. During the landing, the right main landing gear slowly collapsed, and the airplane came to rest off the right side of the runway. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed that the retract actuator fitting was secured with two fasteners, a smaller bolt, and a larger bolt. The nut and cotter key were not recovered with the smaller bolt, and 8 of the 12 threads on the smaller bolt were stripped consistent with an overstress pulling of the nut away from the bolt. The larger bolt was bent and separated near the head, consistent with a tension and overstress separation as a result of the smaller bolt failure. The overstress failures were consistent with the right main landing gear not being locked in the extended position when aircraft weight was applied; however, examination of the right main landing gear down lock system could not determine any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Further, the right main landing gear retract actuator was tomography scanned, and no anomalies were noted. The unit was then functionally tested at the manufacturer's facility, under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The unit tested successfully, with no anomalies noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.