Serious incident Boeing 727-232 N403DA, Thursday 9 January 1986

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Date:	Thursday 9 January 1986
Time:	10:19 LT
Type:	Boeing 727-232
Owner/operator:	Delta Air Lines
Registration:	N403DA
MSN:	21147/1162
Year of manufacture:	1975
Total airframe hrs:	31573 hours
Engine model:	P&W JT8D-15A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 38
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Memphis, TN - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Memphis International Airport, TN (MEM/KMEM)
Destination airport:	New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE AIRCREW RPRTD THAT WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED AFTER TAKEOFF, THE L MAIN GEAR INDICATED UNSAFE & THERE WAS AN UNSAFE DOOR INDICATION. THEY RECYCLED THE GEAR, BUT OBSERVED THE SAME INDICATIONS. THE GEAR HANDLE WAS THEN PUT IN THE NEUTRAL PSN & THE L MAIN GEAR EXTENDED TO A DOWN & LOCKED PSN. THE CAPT DECIDED TO RETURN TO MEMPHIS & MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. AFTER THE GEAR EXTENSION CYCLE, ALL GEAR INDICATED DOWN & SAFE. ALSO, TWR PSNL CONFIRMED THE GEARAPPEARED TO BE DOWN. HOWEVER, AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE L WING BEGAN SETTLING, BUT THE AIRCREW KEPT THE ACFT ON THE RWY. AN EMERG EVACUATION WAS INITIATED, BUT THE SLIDE AT THE L FWD DOOR DID NOT INFLATE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE L GEAR OUTER CYLINDER, PN 65-57901-19, HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. A STRESS CORROSION CRACK HAD INITIATED ON THE OUTER DIAMETER OFTHE STRUT CYLINDER WHERE A STRAP HAD OBSCURED THE CORROSION. THERE WAS NO HISTORY OF A HARD LANDING. NO PRESSURE WAS FND IN THE INFLATION BOTTLE FOR THE L FWD DOOR SLIDE. NO REASON WAS FND FOR A LOSS OF PRESSURE.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: