Serious incident Boeing 727-232 N518PE, Thursday 26 July 1984

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Date:	Thursday 26 July 1984
Time:	16:58 LT
Type:	Boeing 727-232
Owner/operator:	People Express Airlines
Registration:	N518PE
MSN:	20641/936
Year of manufacture:	1973
Total airframe hrs:	30025 hours
Engine model:	P&W JT8D-15
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 105
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Buffalo, NY - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Newark, NJ (KEWR)
Destination airport:	Buffalo, NY (KBUF)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
DURING THE DEPARTURE FROM NEWARK, NJ, THE AIRCREW NOTED A VIBRATION WHICH CEASED AFTER THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED. THE CREW SUSPECTED THAT A TIRE WAS OUT-OF-ROUND OR A GEAR DOOR WAS VIBRATING & CONTINUED THE FLT. DURING THE APCH TO BUFFALO, NY, THE VIBRATION OCCURRED AGAIN WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED, BUT CEASED ON FINAL APCH. THE APCH & LANDING WERE CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER LANDING, AN EXAM OF THE ACFT, GEAR & GEAR DOORS REVEALED NO REASON FOR THE VIBRATION. HOWEVER, DURING THE FLT, A PIECE OF THE LEFT TRAILING EDGE FLAP HAD SEPARATED. IT HAD SEPARATED ON FINAL APCH & HAD HIT A PARKED CAR CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF IMPROPER SURFACE PREPARATION & BONDING DURING A PREVIOUS REPAIR OF THE FLAP.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: