Hongqiao Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shanghai Switzerland
Thursday, September 10, 1998 23:07

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On September 10, 1998, at 23:07 local time, a MD-11, operated as China Eastern Airlines flight MU 586, made an emergency landing at Shanghai, China. The airplane was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Shanghai to Beijing. Shortly after takeoff the flightcrew reported that the nose landing gear did not retract properly. They tried to cycle the gear but could not get a safe indication in either the extended or retracted position. After flying around for about 3 1/2 hours, they returned to the Shanghai airport where they made several "firm landings" on the main landing gear to try to free the nose landing gear. After this proved to be unsuccessful, they landed the airplane with the nose gear retracted. The airplane was significantly damaged and 6 passengers and 3 flight attendants out of the 120 passengers and 18 crewmembers suffered minor injuries during the emergency evacuation after the aircraft came to rest. The investigation is being conducted by the Safety Office of the East China Administration of the CAAC of the government of People's Republic of China.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/10/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2307
Event Time Zone --
Event City SHANGHAI
Event State --
Event Country SWITZERLAND
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HONGQIAO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SHA
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2000
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SHA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 9
Injury Total None 129
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 9
Investigating Agency Unknown
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2003 3:37PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number DCA98RA086
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-11
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-11
Aircraft Serial Number F/N 512
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 16440
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2550 HONGQIAO RD.
Operator City SHANGHAI
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20033
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BEIJING
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 18
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --