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| Date: | Sunday 18 April 1982 |
| Time: | 21:24 LT |
| Type: |  Boeing 727-224 Adv. |
| Owner/operator: | Continental Airlines |
| Registration: | N32717 |
| MSN: | 20386/801 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1970 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 39609 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 68 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, TX (AUS/KAUS) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU/KHOU) |
| Bennettsville, NC | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The left main gear collapsed & partially separated from the aircraft structure. Examination of the gear assembly revealed a failed drag strut assembly #65-57903-11. There was evidence of a pre-existing crack prior to the strut separation. The stress corrosion cracking probably initiated from previous damage to the outer surface of the strut cylinder resulting from a tire blowout incident which occurred on 3/10/82. Either a small crack or group of cracks initiated in the strut at the time of the prior damage, or the damage was severe enough to disrupt the integrity of the surface finish & produce a notch and/or unfavorable residual stress which made the strut susceptible to stress corrosion cracking in this area.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW82DA139
https://www.airhistory.net/photo/234386/N32717 (Photo)
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Apr-2024 12:57 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 04-May-2025 14:43 | Justanormalperson | Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
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