What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 03, 2009, fedex express flight 1581 departed from Memphis, TN, enroute to norfolk, VA. On post flight the crew noticed the right outboard main landing gear tire missing. No abnormal indications were noticed on take off or landing. The tire casing, bearing, and wheel was recovered at Memphis International Airport between 18C and 18L. Upon further inspection it was discovered that the axle sleeve had failed and was the cause for the wheel departure. The gear was removed and has been shipped to a vendor for tear down and further inspection to determine the cause of the axle sleeve failure. After the review from the vendor and fedex express engineering department it was apparent that there was a bearing failure. The bearing froze and spun creating a tremendous amount of heat. The axle sleeve had been melted at the outboard bearing journal, this melting cause the sleeve to fail.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 03, 2009, FEDEX EXPRESS FLIGHT 1581 DEPARTED FROM MEMPHIS, TN, ENROUTE TO NORFOLK, VA. ON POST FLIGHT THE CREW NOTICED THE RIGHT OUTBOARD MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE MISSING. NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WERE NOTICED ON TAKE OFF OR LANDING. THE TIRE CASING, BEARING, AND WHEEL WAS RECOVERED AT MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BETWEEN 18C AND 18L. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AXLE SLEEVE HAD FAILED AND WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE WHEEL DEPARTURE. THE GEAR WAS REMOVED AND HAS BEEN SHIPPED TO A VENDOR FOR TEAR DOWN AND FURTHER INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AXLE SLEEVE FAILURE. AFTER THE REVIEW FROM THE VENDOR AND FEDEX EXPRESS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IT WAS APPARENT THAT THERE WAS A BEARING FAILURE. THE BEARING FROZE AND SPUN CREATING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HEAT. THE AXLE SLEEVE HAD BEEN MELTED AT THE OUTBOARD BEARING JOURNAL, THIS MELTING CAUSE THE SLEEVE TO FAIL.
Other reports on N220FE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.