Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Minneapolis-St. Paul Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55111
Thursday, September 5, 2002 6:40 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During takeoff the #2 wheel separated from the left main landing gear assembly. A company mechanic stated that during a walk-around inspection he noted the #1 and #2 main landing gear tires needed to be replaced. The #1 & #2 tires are on the left main landing gear assembly; with the #1 tire being outboard of the #2 tire. The mechanic reported, "We removed & replaced #2 main landing gear [tire], with nothing unusual during the tire change." The axle nut/spacer assembly was found with the wheel. The axle nut lock-bolts were found installed in the axle nut/spacer assembly with safety wire connecting the lock-bolts to the axle nut. The lock-bolts were not damaged. The interfacing threads between the axle nut/spacer assembly and the axle were not stripped and the treads were not worn. A demonstration of a wheel installation and a review of the installation procedures were performed at the request of the NTSB. In order for the lock-bolts to engage the axle keyslot, the axle nut/spacer assembly had to be properly torqued and wheel bearings seated.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper installation of the #2 main landing gear wheel, including the axle nut not being properly torqued and safetied, which resulted in the wheel separation during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 9/5/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 640 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Minneapolis |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 55111 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 445248N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931300W |
| Event Location Airport | Minneapolis-St. Paul Intl |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MSP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 841 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1084 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 33 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13901 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 10 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 816 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2003 9:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA - Minneapolis FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1473K |
| NTSB Number | CHI02IA270 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Fokker |
| Aircraft Model | 100 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 11515 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 65000 |
| 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 | 79 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 5 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 28.83 |
| Airframe Hours | 20571.4 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | American Airlines |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4333 Amon Carter Blvd. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Worth |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76155 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | AALA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MSP |
| Departure City | Minneapolis |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 640 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ORD |
| Destination City | Chicago |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 30 2003 3:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 12L |
| Runway Length | 8200 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |