Detroit Metro - Wayne County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Detroit, Michigan 48174
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 19:46 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The operator reported that the flight crew received a main landing gear overheat fail message on the engine indication and crew alerting system as the landing gear was being retracted after takeoff. During the remainder of the flight, the message came on every 15 to 20 seconds, remained on for about 5 seconds, and then extinguished. The flight crew contacted maintenance control and were advised that the flight could continue to the destination since the message was intermittent. The airplane landed at its intended destination without incident. During postincident troubleshooting to determine the reason for the message, maintenance personnel discovered that the right wheel well bin, which incorporated the landing gear overheat temperature sensor, had departed the aircraft. Examination revealed that only 3 of the 11 fasteners that attached the bin to the fuselage remained in place, and those 3 fasteners retained torn sections of bin under their heads. According to the operator, the last maintenance that involved removal and reinstallation of the wheel well bin was the repair of a flap discrepancy six days prior to the incident. Subsequent to the repair, the airplane completed 29 flights before the incident flight. After the incident, the operator published a warning in its airplane maintenance manual cautioning mechanics not to use electric, battery, or pneumatic powered screw guns to secure wheel well bins.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The mechanic's incomplete securing of all the wheel well bin's fasteners, which resulted in separation of the bin from the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/30/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1946
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Detroit
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48174
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 421244N
Event Location Longitude 0832112W
Event Location Airport Detroit Metro - Wayne County
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DTW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 645
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 645
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KDTW 302353Z 06004KT 10SM SCT085 BKN110 03/M07 A29
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 27
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29751
NTSB Notification Source Pinnacle Airlines through the
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2012 9:53PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8505Q
NTSB Number CEN11IA264
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOMBARDIER INC
Aircraft Model CL-600-2B19
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7505
Certified Max Gross Weight 53000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 55
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 24 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 22800.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 299 S MAIN ST MAC U1228-120
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PINNACLE AIRLINES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Memphis
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 38132
Operator Code REXA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number REXA257A
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 No
Departure Airport Code PVD
Departure City Providence
Departure State RI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1823
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DTW
Destination City Detroit
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 27 2011 1:35PM
User who most recently changed record male
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 7166
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --