# NTSB MIA86IA098: Boeing 727, N8861E, Miami, FL, March 16, 1986

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: March 16, 1986, 00:10 local (05:10 UTC)
- Place: Miami, FL
- Location: 25.7954° N, 80.2901° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MIAMI INTL (MIA), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7954&lon=-80.2901&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 140 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 31526
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA86IA098
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/31526/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA86IA098

## Sequence of events

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

- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, approach
  - electrical system - failure,partial (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,gear indicating system - false indication (contributing factor)
  - gear extension - attempted, pilot in command
  - landing gear,gear locking mechanism - corroded (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,gear locking mechanism - fatigue (cause)
  - landing gear,nose gear assembly - movement restricted
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - emergency procedure - not used, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - wheels up landing

## Analysis

DURING ARRIVAL AT FT LAUDERDALE, THE AIRCREW ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE GEAR, BUT AT FIRST, THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET A SAFE 'DOWN' INDICATION FOR THE RGT MAIN GEAR. AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR, THEY WERE ABLE TO INSURE THAT BOTH MAIN GEAR HAD EXTENDED& WERE LOCKED. THEY DIVERTED TO MIAMI, BUT BY THEN, THEY WERE UNABLE TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR BY USING THE NORMAL GEAR EXTENSION SYS & THEY HAD ONLY 4000 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO LAND WITHOUT MANUALLY EXTENDING THE NOSE GEAR; HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOW FUEL CONDITION AND BELIEVED THAT HE MIGHT COMPROMISE THE MAIN LANDING GEAR POSITION BY PLACING THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE THE 'A' HYDRAULIC SYS WAS OFF. AN EXAM REVEALED THE ROD END OF THE LANDING GEAR LOCK ACTUATOR, PN 69-30537-4, HAD FAILED. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THE ROD END HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE IN THE THREADED AREA WHERE CORROSION HAD OCCURRED. ALSO, AN ELEC FAILURE WAS FND IN THE LANDING GEAR LOGIC RESOLUTION CIRCUIT THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN IMPROPER INDICATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N8861E (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20623
- Airframe hours: 39498
- Engines: P&W JT8D-15 15500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Eastern Airlines Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 2, 1985
- Departed: LGA, NEW YORK, NY
- Destination: FLL, FT.LAUDERDALE, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MIA, Miami Intl, runway 9R, 13,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 14,713 total, 5,715 in this make and model, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: MIA

## 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 19860316037199I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860316037199I), Mar 16, 1986: Boeing 727225, Miami, FL, Minor damage. Faulty right gear indication. Landed with nose gear retracted after uplock actuator rod end 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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