Charlotte-Douglas Int Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlotte, North Carolina 28219
Friday, November 7, 1997 10:17 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The Fokker F100 was on landing rollout when the right main landing gear collapsed. Review of company maintenance records revealed the torque link damper on the right main landing gear was serviced using a company maintenance task/job card. The procedures did not follow the maintenance procedures listed in the aircraft manufacturer's maintenance manual, and the required tools (replenishing gun) was not available to service the torque link damper assembly. Examination of the failed components by the NTSB Materials Laboratory Division revealed fractures from the main fitting had a chevron pattern caused by overstress originated at the base of the upper torque link attach lug. No preexisting cracks were noted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Improper written instructions (job/task card) by company maintenance personnel. The procedures did not reflect the correct manufactures maintenance manual servicing procedure, and did not ensure that the proper tool (replenishing gun) was available for the servicing of the torque link damper. This resulted in the improper servicing of the damper, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear on landing rollout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/7/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1017
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHARLOTTE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28219
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHARLOTTE-DOUGLAS INT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLT
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 749
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 951 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 104
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1763
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 7 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N865US
NTSB Number MIA98FA025
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fokker
Aircraft Model F100
Aircraft Series Identifier F100
Aircraft Serial Number 11308
Certified Max Gross Weight 98000
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 104
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 17489
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name US AIRWAYS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2345 CRYSTAL DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ARLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22227
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 USAA
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 MKE
Departure City MILWAUKEE
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 727
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CLT
Destination City
Destination State
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 36L
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --