Hartsfield Atlanta Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30320
Wednesday, November 29, 1989 15:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING GEAR RETRACTION AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT CREW NOTED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR (MLG) DOOR WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE LANDING GEAR WAS CYCLED, BUT THE CONDITION WAS NOT CORRECTED. ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND THE RIGHT MLG WERE UNSUCCESSFUL & THE RIGHT MLG REMAINED PARTIALLY EXTENDED. SUBSEQUENTLY A LANDING WAS MADE WITH THE LEFT MLG AND NOSE GEAR EXTENDED & THE RIGHT MLG PARTIALLY EXTENDED. AFTER LANDING THE ACFT WAS LIFTED FROM THE RWY & THE RIGHT MLG FELL FREELY. THE UPLOCK HOOK WAS FOUND POSITIONED UP. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE DOOR ACTUATOR BOLTS WERE LOOSE & THE SERRATED PLATE HAD BEEN DISPLACED. THE BOLTS SHOULD BE INSTALLED WITH 25-42 FT-LBS TORQUE; INBOARD WAS LOOSENED WITH 10 FT-LBS, TWO OTHERS WERE FINGER TIGHT. ACTUATOR FITTING DISPLACED FULLY OUTBOARD. BOEING SERVICE LETTER 727-SL-32-47 APPLIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ATLANTA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30320
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ATL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1026
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1610 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 5073
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41967
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8835E
NTSB Number ATL90IA033
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 727-225
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-225
Aircraft Serial Number 20154
Certified Max Gross Weight 173000
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 152
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EASTERN AIR LINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address MIAMI INTERNATIONAL
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33148
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 EALA
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 ALB
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1237
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 9L
Runway Length 11889
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --