# NTSB CHI83IA425: Fairchild FH-227, N377NE, Chicago, IL, September 13, 1983

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: September 13, 1983, 13:42 local (18:42 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Location: 41.9769° N, 87.9081° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CHICAGO O'HARE INTL (ORD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9769&lon=-87.9081&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 25 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 12056
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI83IA425
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/12056/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI83IA425

## Sequence of events

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

- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - initial climb
  - landing gear,nose gear - undetermined (cause)
  - landing gear,steering system - bent
  - landing gear,nose gear - unlocked
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown

## Analysis

AFTER TAKING OFF, THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE REMAINED LATCHED 'DOWN' WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL DID NOT CENTER. THE FLIGHTCREW THENUSED THE NOSE GEAR STEERING OVERRIDE SW & TURNED THE NOSEWHEEL UNTIL THE 'OFF CENTER LIGHT' EXTINGUISHED. THE OVERRIDE SW WAS PLACED 'OFF' & THE LANDING GEAR LATCH RETRACTED, BUT WHEN THE GEAR HANDLE WAS RAISED, THE LANDING GEAR REMAINED DOWN. THE OVERRIDE SW WAS TRIED AGAIN, BUT TO NO AVAIL. APRX 5 TO 10 SECONDS LATER, THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. DURING ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION, THE NOSE GEAR CAME OUT OF THE 'UP POSITION' WHEN THE GEAR HANDLE WAS LOWERED, BUT A 'DOWN & LOCKED' INDICATION WAS NOT ATTAINED. THE 'OFF CENTER LIGHT' ILLUMINATED AGAIN & THE GEAR HANDLE LATCHED DOWN. THE NOSE GEAR STEERING WAS TURNED 90 DEG LEFT & THE GEAR BECAME STUCK. ATTEMPTS TO RECENTER THE NOSEWHEEL AND/OR GET A SAFE INDICATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING THE LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAM OF THE NOSE GEAR REVEALED THAT THE STEERING SLIDE ASSEMBLY, PN 27-423031-17, WAS BENT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N377NE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N377NE-1991-07-03), registration cancelled 1991-07-03, S/N 510 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FAIRCHILD FH-227
- Registry model: [Fairchild FH-227](https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-fh-227) (registry code 3373042) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 510
- Airframe hours: 19324
- Engines: Rolls-Royce DART 532-7 1835 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Britt Airways, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: SPRINGFIELD, IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ORD, O'Hare, runway 9L, 7,416 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 5,613 total, 2,087 in this make and model, 175 in the last 90 days, 63 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Observed at: ORD

## 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 19830913053899I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830913053899I), Sep 13, 1983: Frchld FH227, Chicago, IL, Minor damage. Nose gear failed to retract on climbout and collapsed on the landing roll. Nose gear steering servo had failed.

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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