Little Rock Adams Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Little Rock, Arkansas 72206
Wednesday, January 19, 1994 9:11 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ONE OF TWO LEFT MAIN WHEELS SEPARATED. THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE TIRE AND WHEEL REMAINED INTACT. THE AXLE NUT WAS FOUND WITH THE LOCKING RETAINER RING INSTALLED IN THE GROOVE ON THE NUT. EVIDENCE COLLECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THE RETAINER NUT SPUN OFF OF THE AXLE WITH THE ROTATION OF THE WHEEL. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, 'THIS CONDITION COULD ONLY OCCUR IF THE LOCKING CAPABILITY OF THE RETAINING RING WAS LOST DUE TO THE RETAINING RING NOT FULLY SEATED.' THE MANUFACTURER MEASURED THE THREAD DIMENSIONS OF THE INNER CYLINDER AXLES AND RETAINER NUTS. THREADS ON BOTH AXLES AND RETAINER NUTS WERE BEYOND THE MANUFACTURER'S WEAR LIMITS. ON THE INCIDENT AXLE, THREAD ENGAGEMENT MEASUREMENT (EXCLUDING THE DAMAGED AREA) FOR THE AXLE WAS AT THE MANUFACTURER'S WEAR LIMIT. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, WEAR DID NOT COMPROMISE THE CAPABILITY OF THE NUT AND AXLE. THEIR CROSS SECTION OF THE NUT 'DID NOT EXHIBIT ENOUGH DEFORMATION TO SUPPORT MIGRATION OF THE NUT OFF THE AXLE.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS THE LANDING GEAR SEPARATION DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED CAUSE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 911
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LITTLE ROCK
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72206
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LITTLE ROCK ADAMS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LIT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 260
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 260
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 67
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5002
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 19 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 925
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:24AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53SW
NTSB Number FTW94IA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-2H4
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-2H4
Aircraft Serial Number 21534
Certified Max Gross Weight 115500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 130
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 51261
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 37611, LOVE FIELD
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75235
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code 304A
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LIT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 911
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAL
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22R
Runway Length 7173
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --