Newark International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07114
Monday, February 17, 1997 12:59 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The crew experienced an unsafe nose gear light on approach to landing. After recycling the gear, all indications were that the gear was down and locked. The airplane landed on runway 4R during which the nose gear collapsed; the airplane skidded to a stop. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose landing gear upper lock link had fractured. The lock link had accumulated 28,978 service hours and 24,511 cycles since original manufacture. The lock link was overhauled 13,515 and 6,317 hours prior to the failure. A metallurgical examination revealed the upper lock link was fractured through the 'I' beam section near its lower end about 3 inches from the overcenter pivot with the lower lock link. The fracture features were typical of fatigue which progressed over a large portion of the fracture. No mechanical, corrosion, or manufacturing discontinuities were visible at the fatigue origin. At the time of the failure, there was an Airworthiness Directive AD-97-02-10 about the upper lock link. It required inspections of assemblies prior to 10,000 total cycles or within 90 days of its issue, February 11, 1997, whichever came later. Continental Airlines was in the process of inspecting its entire fleet of affected aircraft when this incident occurred.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fatigue fracture of the upper lock link, which led to the collapse of the nose gear during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 2/17/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1259
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07114
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEWARK INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 40
Airport Elevation 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 147
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5036
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 17 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34838
NTSB Number IAD97IA048
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 McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-82
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-82
Aircraft Serial Number 49634
Certified Max Gross Weight 140000
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 172
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
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 CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY STE. 1900
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
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 CALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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 No
Departure Airport Code DIA
Departure City DENVER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City
Destination State NJ
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 4R
Runway Length 9300
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --