# NTSB MIA97IA206: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-61, N27UA, Miami, FL, July 5, 1997 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: July 4, 1997, 21:55 local (Jul 5, 1997, 01:55 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: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 21, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38163 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97IA206 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38163/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97IA206 ## Probable cause failure of the right main landing gear cylinder due to stress corrosion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, unknown - landing gear,nose gear strut - stress corrosion (cause) - landing gear,nose gear strut - failure,total (cause) ## Analysis Postflight examination of the landing gear revealed the right main landing gear cylinder assembly had failed. Examination of the cylinder revealed the cylinder failed due to stress corrosion cracking. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 1997, at about 2155 eastern daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-61, N27UA, registered to Argo Air Associates, operated by Fine Airlines, as a Title 14 CFR Part 121 nonscheduled international cargo flight, found a cracked right main landing cylinder assembly after landing at Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot-in-command, first officer, and flight engineer reported no injuries. The flight originated from Santo Domingo, about 3 hours 10 minutes before the accident. Review of maintenance records revealed the airplane was 25,699 pounds below landing weight. The right main landing gear shock strut assembly had accumulated a total of 20, 874 hours. The right main landing gear cylinder was transported to the Boeing Douglas Products Division for further examination. According to Boeing Douglas Product Division, the failure of the main landing gear cylinder occurred by stress corrosion cracking which initiated at the threaded portion of the lower end along the first and second full, upper, internal thread roots, about 0.85 inches from the bottom of the cylinder. The cadmium plating in the corrosion areas was sacrificially depleted. This depletion of cadmium plating made the base metal susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. No material or processing discrepancies were found. For additional information see Materials and Processing Engineering Laboratory Report No. LR-15773. Mr. Richard McCallman, Chief Inspector, Fine Airlines, Inc., authorized the right main landing gear cylinder to be disposed of locally by Boeing Douglas Products Division, on December 10, 1997. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N27UA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27UA-1998-01-26), registration cancelled 1998-01-26, S/N 45942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-61 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-61](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-8-61) (registry code 302195B) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 45942 - Airframe hours: 46711 - Engines: P&W JT3D-3B 18000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Fine Airlines - Registered owner: Argo Air Associates - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 21, 1997, 76 hours before - Departed: SDQ, SANTO DOMINGO, OF - Destination: MIA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MIA, Miami International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,100 total, 2,000 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 73 °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 19970704029029I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970704029029I), Jul 4, 1997: Doug DC861, Miami, FL, Minor damage. Narrative: on July 4, 1997, at about 2155 eastern daylight time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-61, N27UA, registered to argo air associates, operated by fine… ## Other investigations on N27UA (1) 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. - [NTSB DCA97MA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA97MA059), Aug 7, 1997: Douglas DC-8-61 (N27UA), Miami, FL, destroyed, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The airplane being misloaded to produce a more aft center of gravity and a correspondingly incorrect stabilizer trim setting that precipitated an extreme pitch-up at rotation, was (1) the failure of… 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. --- 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.