EGF jet makes emergency landing at KBOS

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:26 am

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/200 ... ding_N.htm

--

BOSTON (AP) — Sparks flew from the landing gear of an American Eagle jet carrying 40 people during its first attempt to touch down, forcing a second landing Wednesday.
The plane landed without incident at Logan International Airport about an hour later.

"Our airfield crews witnessed sparks during the landing, and then the aircraft pulled up," Logan spokesman Richard Walsh said.

Debris also fell when Flight 4539 from Toronto tried to land about 8:20 a.m., American Eagle spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said. Crews believe it may have come from flaps that open beneath the plane when the landing gear comes down.

Mechanics on the ground checked the landing gear twice as the plane flew by the airport, and no problems were found. The plane also stayed in the air to burn excess fuel as a precaution, Huguely said.

From this link, looks like someone either forgot, or lowered the gear really late. Witness spotters say the plane made it's first approach with no gear down, but in the picture inside the video it appears as though the nose-gear door is open.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/Home ... geId=1.1.1

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:00 am

Further info

All normal until Tower observes aircraft in the go around. Pilots report "gear indication problem" and take vectors to "diagnose" the problem. ATC reports other aircraft observed gear doors open but gear not extended. After a few minutes aircraft reports they believe gear is down, declare an emergency, and get vectors to do low flyby to confirm gear down visually. ATC reports that "parts found on runway", aircraft requests what type of "parts", ATC reports "gear door parts and suspect significant damage to fuselage. Aircraft perfoms flyby and Tower reports all 3 gear appear down. Aircraft comes around for another approach and lands normally.

185/310 · Post by **185/310** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:24 am

You would think the crew wouldnt of had a three green indication the first time around. Seems a little weird. Glad to hear everybody was alright.

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:56 am

Gee, do you think somebody forgot to call for the landing check?

Do you think somebody slapped the gear handle at short final when the gear horn went off? Maybe they inhibited the horn to delay the gear for some reason and surprise!

This will get real interesting. Wonder how much experience you can buy for $1200/month? Betcha somebody's career just ended.

Harsh, I know.

sanjet · Post by **sanjet** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:16 pm

Definitely want to read the report on this one. Looks very fishy indeed.

Yossarian · Post by **Yossarian** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:40 pm

they forgot to lower the gear, scraped the bottom of the plane, realized what happened, went around, made up a bullshit story about gear problems to cover their tracks.

checklist, checklist, checklist.

Donald · Post by **Donald** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:10 pm

At least they didn't have to worry about scraping any pesky props, unlike...

raven54 · Post by **raven54** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:27 pm

I don't think they'd try to cover their tracks if they screwed up, the ol CVR may betray them..

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:36 pm

CVR is on a constant loop - they flew around for an hour or so after. However, the data recorder will say when they selected gear and that's good for 24 hours or more.

conehead · Post by **conehead** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:59 pm

xsbank wrote: Wonder how much experience you can buy for $1200/month?

Is that what those guys make???? My God!

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:06 pm

xsbank wrote:CVR is on a constant loop - they flew around for an hour or so after. However, the data recorder will say when they selected gear and that's good for 24 hours or more.

CVR covering up might cover their asses legally to some extent.

Dockjock · Post by **Dockjock** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:19 am

Experience doesn't have squat to do with remembering to put the gear down- you learn that on day #1, landing #1.

Let's see if there was a mechanical failure before crucifying the crew for forgetting anything.

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:41 pm

Problem is Dock (nice)

Anyway, problem is IF there was a malfunction, there should have been no green lights, at least not for all three gear.

prop2jet · Post by **prop2jet** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 8:27 pm

Any number of reasons could be the cause... why not wait until the report comes out before passing judgement. Who knows... one day you/we may find ourself in some sort of predicament... only to be slagged on this site and others. What comes around goes around boys and girls.

Lost in Saigon · Post by **Lost in Saigon** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:15 pm

Here is a preliminary reort.

Scheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier operation of AMERICAN EAGLE AIRLINES

Accident occurred Wednesday, June 20, 2007 in Logan, MA

Aircraft: Embraer 135, registration: N731BE

Injuries: 41 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

An American Eagle EMB-135, tail number N731BE, flight number 4539 initially landed with the gear up at Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts. The crew reported that they had an indication that the gear was down and locked but right before touchdown, they noticed a landing gear lever disagree. They executed a go-around and mechanically lowered the landing gear. They were able to get the gear down and locked and got a visual confirmation that the gear was down. The flaps would not retract due to damage from contacting the runway on the intial landing, but the crew was able to successfully land the airplane. There were 37 passengers and 3 crew members on board. No injuries were reported. Eye witnesses to the first landing stated that they did not see the gear down on the approach.

cmadude · Post by **cmadude** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:44 pm

It should be on the CVR. Transport requirements are minimum one hour "loop". Our citation has about 30 hours on that.

Big Pratt · Post by **Big Pratt** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:11 pm

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2007/070629.htm

Washington, DC -- The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an incident in Boston that occurred on June 20, 2007, in which an American Eagle Embraer ERJ-135 regional jet briefly touched down on the runway without the landing gear extended before initiating a go-around and completing a second landing attempt.

None of the 37 passengers or 3 crewmembers was injured. The aircraft sustained minor damage. The event is being investigated as an incident.

Prior to the first landing attempt in which the gear was not extended, the crew stated that the three landing gear indicator lights were all green, indicating that the gear was down and locked. Shortly before touchdown they noticed a "landing gear lever disagree" message on a flight computer console.

After the jet contacted the runway, a go-around procedure was initiated. The crew extended the gear by following the emergency abnormal landing gear procedure, then flew by the control tower twice for a visual inspection to ensure the gear was down prior to the second landing attempt.

At this point in the investigation the following has been accomplished:

In an initial test, the incident aircraft was placed on jacks and investigators duplicated the in-flight situation: Three green lights in the cockpit indicated the gear was down and locked but none of the gear extended.

The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were sent to the Safety Board's laboratory in Washington last week where the content of each is being evaluated.

Both members of the flight crew were interviewed this week.

An electronic component of the landing gear control system, made by Parker Aerospace, was bench tested this week at their facility in New York. The same unit, with small modifications, was then placed in a different airplane and the indications were once again duplicated.

Embraer issued a "Field Service Letter" late last week to all operators of the EMB-135, -140, and -145 models, reminding pilots to follow the checklist in the case of a "landing gear disagree" message.

The Federal Aviation Administration, Parker Aerospace, American Eagle and Embraer are working with the Safety Board as the investigation continues.

prop2jet said:

Any number of reasons could be the cause... why not wait until the report comes out before passing judgement. Who knows... one day you/we may find ourself in some sort of predicament... only to be slagged on this site and others. What comes around goes around boys and girls.

Wise words my friend... some here seem to know it all right away.

Keep your speculations for happy hour.

The final report will be an interesting read.

BP