- Date
- May 7, 1993, 12:51 local (16:51 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 50 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N867USFokker F28-MK-0100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19930507017479I
- Case key
- 11878
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The improper installation of the spacers by the mechanic and the unclear information supplied from the manufacturer and operator regarding the installation of the spacers.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after touchdown at memphis, TN, a severe vibration was felt by the flightcrew in the cockpit. The flightcrew thought the vibration was generated by the right main gear so they had maintenance personnel check the right main gear. No anomalies were noted. The flight continued to Pittsburgh, PA, and shortly after touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. Post incident examination of the left main gear revealed that two spacers in the torque link assembly were found to have been improperly installed. The investigation also revealed that during re installation of the torque links and shimmy damper at the last maintenance check, the two spacers were installed in reverse of their normal positions. According to fokker, reversal of the two spacers would result in an undamped free play between the upper and lower torque link resulting in oscillations in the lateral mode of the landing gear. Review of usair's aircraft maintenance manual, supplied by fokker, revealed that the two spacers that were incorrectly installed on the incident airplane were not described by dimensions or verbiage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N867US
- Reported as
- Fokker F28-MK-0100 (F28-MK-010)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11312
- Airframe hours
- 6,578
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce TAY MK 650-15, 15,100 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Usair
- Registered owner
- Usair
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 4, 1993 · 416 hours before
- Departed
- MEM · Memphis, TN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PIT · Greater Pittsburgh, runway 32, 8,100 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,200 total · 600 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIT, 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.
Other investigations on N867US · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.