# Incident 20090603011399I: Boeing 727233, Memphis, TN, June 3, 2009

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 3, 2009, 17:30 local time
- Place: Memphis, TN
- Airport: Memphis International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: FDEA
- Location: 35.1495° N, 90.0490° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Memphis, TN, within about 10 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1495&lon=-90.0490&mi=10
- Aircraft: N220FE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N220FE-2013-03-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 727-233 (registry code 138408A, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-233) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 (registry code 52051, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727233
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090603011399I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

- [Incident 19950504012429I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950504012429I), May 4, 1995: Boeing 727227 (N220FE), San Antonio, TX. On climb severe vibration NR3 engine. Returned to sat. Compressor had failed. Turbine wheel damaged.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.