# NTSB ATL90IA033: Boeing 727-225, N8835E, Atlanta, GA, November 29, 1989

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: November 29, 1989, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place: Atlanta, GA
- Location: 33.6367° N, 84.4279° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HARTSFIELD/JACKSON ATLANTA INTL (ATL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6367&lon=-84.4279&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 53 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 11, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 8153
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL90IA033
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8153/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL90IA033

## Probable cause

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Gear not extended, landing - flare/touchdown
  - door,landing gear - undertorqued (cause)
  - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, company maintenance personnel (cause)
  - landing gear,main gear - jammed (cause)

## Analysis

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.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8835E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8835E-1991-07-18), registration cancelled 1991-07-18, S/N 20154 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-225
- Registry model: [Boeing 727-225](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-225) (registry code 1384077) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20154
- Engines: P&W JT8D-7B 14000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Eastern Air Lines Inc.
- Departed: ALB, ALBANY, NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ATL, Hartsfield Atlanta Int'L, runway 9L, 11,889 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 16,000 total, 5,026 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ATL, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19891129047659I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891129047659I), Nov 29, 1989: Boeing 727225, Atlanta, GA, Minor damage. Right gear door warning on takeoff. Landed with gear partly down. Door trapped between wheels.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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