Narrative:
PAL Airlines flight 1922, a DHC-8-300 aircraft, en route to Deer Lake, NL (CYDF) with 47 passengers and 4 crew onboard had an indication of a potential nose landing gear issue.
At 10:57 local time, during the approach at Deer Lake, the flight crew selected the landing gear down; however, a weight on wheels caution light as well as advisory lights illuminated, indicating that the nose landing gear was not in the down-and-locked position. The flight crew executed a missed approach and entered a hold in order to troubleshoot the problem. At 12:02, the flight crew requested a diversion to Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, and declared an emergency. At 12:30, the aircraft landed on runway 27 at Stephenville with the nose landing gear in a partially extended position. On touchdown, the nose landing gear fully collapsed, and the aircraft nose structure came into contact with the runway surface. The aircraft slid and came to a stop approximately halfway down the runway.
There were no injuries to passengers or crew.
Findings as to causes and contributing factors:
1. For undetermined reasons, a previous repair to the inner cylinder of the nose landing gear shock strut was not designated with a specific permanent marking as required by the approved component maintenance manual, resulting in the installation of a standard size bearing where an oversize bearing was required.
2. The reduced sealing force caused by the smaller-than-required bearing installation likely allowed the nose landing gear shock strut to leak.
3. The reduced hydraulic fluid volume, in addition to a possible nitrogen leak, reduced the internal static pressure of the nose landing gear shock strut and allowed it to partially compress when it was in the up position.
4. The airflow encountered in flight when the nose landing gear was lowered further compressed the nose landing gear shock strut and allowed the tires to impinge on the aft landing gear doors, thereby jamming the nose landing gear in a partially extended position.
Landing gear collapse
Forced landing on runway
» https://www.palairlines.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PAL-Airlines-Nose-Gear-Release-Nov-15-2018-En.pdf
» https://www.thewesternstar.com/news/regional/pilots-praised-for-emergency-landing-without-front-wheels-down-259710/
» https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/plane-crash-stephenville-1.4906941
CYDF 150900Z 29016G30KT 250V350 1 1/4SM -SN BLSN VV008 M03/M06 A2937 RMK SN8 PRESFR SLP950
10:00 UTC / local time:
CYDF 151000Z 28014G33KT 240V330 1 1/4SM -SN BLSN VV008 M04/M06 A2942 RMK SN8 /S03/ SLP966
10:42 UTC / local time:
CYDF 151042Z 29021G46KT 1/2SM -SN +BLSN VV006 M04/M06 A2944 RMK SN8 SLP972
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 15 November 2018 |
| Time: | 13:30 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-8-315Q Dash 8 |
| Operator: | PAL Airlines |
| Registration: | C-FPAE |
| MSN: | 562 |
| First flight: | 2001 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 36072 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123E |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 47 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 51 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Stephenville International Airport, NL (YJT) ( Canada)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Wabush Airport, NL (YWK/CYWK), Canada |
| Deer Lake Airport, NL (YDF/CYDF), Canada | |
| Flightnumber: | 1922 |
PAL Airlines flight 1922, a DHC-8-300 aircraft, en route to Deer Lake, NL (CYDF) with 47 passengers and 4 crew onboard had an indication of a potential nose landing gear issue.
At 10:57 local time, during the approach at Deer Lake, the flight crew selected the landing gear down; however, a weight on wheels caution light as well as advisory lights illuminated, indicating that the nose landing gear was not in the down-and-locked position. The flight crew executed a missed approach and entered a hold in order to troubleshoot the problem. At 12:02, the flight crew requested a diversion to Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, and declared an emergency. At 12:30, the aircraft landed on runway 27 at Stephenville with the nose landing gear in a partially extended position. On touchdown, the nose landing gear fully collapsed, and the aircraft nose structure came into contact with the runway surface. The aircraft slid and came to a stop approximately halfway down the runway.
There were no injuries to passengers or crew.
Probable Cause:
Findings as to causes and contributing factors:
1. For undetermined reasons, a previous repair to the inner cylinder of the nose landing gear shock strut was not designated with a specific permanent marking as required by the approved component maintenance manual, resulting in the installation of a standard size bearing where an oversize bearing was required.
2. The reduced sealing force caused by the smaller-than-required bearing installation likely allowed the nose landing gear shock strut to leak.
3. The reduced hydraulic fluid volume, in addition to a possible nitrogen leak, reduced the internal static pressure of the nose landing gear shock strut and allowed it to partially compress when it was in the up position.
4. The airflow encountered in flight when the nose landing gear was lowered further compressed the nose landing gear shock strut and allowed the tires to impinge on the aft landing gear doors, thereby jamming the nose landing gear in a partially extended position.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Landing gear collapse
Forced landing on runway
Sources:
» http://vocm.com/news/plane-makes-emergency-landing-at-stephenville-airport/» https://www.palairlines.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PAL-Airlines-Nose-Gear-Release-Nov-15-2018-En.pdf
» https://www.thewesternstar.com/news/regional/pilots-praised-for-emergency-landing-without-front-wheels-down-259710/
» https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/plane-crash-stephenville-1.4906941
METAR Weather report:
09:00 UTC / local time:CYDF 150900Z 29016G30KT 250V350 1 1/4SM -SN BLSN VV008 M03/M06 A2937 RMK SN8 PRESFR SLP950
10:00 UTC / local time:
CYDF 151000Z 28014G33KT 240V330 1 1/4SM -SN BLSN VV008 M04/M06 A2942 RMK SN8 /S03/ SLP966
10:42 UTC / local time:
CYDF 151042Z 29021G46KT 1/2SM -SN +BLSN VV006 M04/M06 A2944 RMK SN8 SLP972
Photos
Video, social media
Nose gear collapses on plane trying to land at Stephenville airporthttps://t.co/PCBtvaeSib pic.twitter.com/0fmOExJBA2
tom hodder (@ThomasHodder) November 15, 2018
Provincial Airlines issues statement: No injuries among the 47 passengers and 4 crew. Pilot detected issue and did flyby of Deer Lake air tower to see if staff there could see whether landing gear was locked. They couldn't, so decision was made to divert to Stephenville. pic.twitter.com/3T8pi9nFEA
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) November 15, 2018
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Wabush Airport, NL to Deer Lake Airport, NL as the crow flies is 773 km (483 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Wabush Airport, NL to Deer Lake Airport, NL as the crow flies is 773 km (483 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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