Mccarran International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Vegas, Nevada 89115
Tuesady, July 4, 1995 11:03 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE CREW FELT THE AIRCRAFT LURCH TO THE RIGHT. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR OUTER CYLINDER TRUNNION HAD SHEARED AT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR BEAM TRUNNION SUPPORT. THE OPERATOR REPORTED TWO SIMILAR PRIOR INCIDENTS. THE FAILED TRUNNION AND THE TWO FROM THE PRIOR OCCURRENCES WERE SENT TO BOEING FOR DETAILED METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS. ACCORDING TO THE LAB REPORT, ALL THREE TRUNNIONS FAILED AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE FRACTURE AND STRESS CORROSION WHICH INITIATED IN THE BLENDOUT TRANSITION RADIUS BETWEEN THE MACHINED DOWN TRUNNION JOURNAL AND THE CYLINDER. THE RADIUS WAS FOUND TO BE BELOW THE SPECIFIED MINIMUM AND NICKEL PLATING EXTENDED INTO THE AREA IN EXCESS OF THE LENGTH PERMITTED BY THE OVERHAUL MANUAL. SEVERE THROUGH-THICKNESS CRACKING IN THE CHROME PLATING WAS ALSO FOUND IN ALL THREE TRUNNIONS. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, BOEING 727 LANDING GEAR OVERHAUL REWORK IS PERFORMED IN-HOUSE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A shear failure of the right main landing gear outer cylinder trunnion due to fatigue and stress corrosion, and the operator's inadequate and improper overhaul procedures.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/4/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1103
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89115
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAS
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 2175
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2175
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 53
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5023
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N712RC
NTSB Number LAX95IA246
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 727-257
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-257
Aircraft Serial Number 22020
Certified Max Gross Weight 197000
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 155
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST SECURITY BANK OF UTAH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 S. MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5101 NORTHWEST DRIVE
Operator City ST. PAUL
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55111
Operator Code NWAA
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DTW
Departure City DETROIT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25L
Runway Length 8900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --