NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW88IA165
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR PIVOT TRUNNION SHAFT WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME LODGED IN THE ACTUATOR CLEVIS PREVENTING THE DOOR UNLOCK MECHANISM FROM ACTUATING DURING GEAR EXTENSION.
Factual narrative
ACFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN THE PLT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY GEAR UP LANDING FOLLOWING THE FAILURE OF THE MLG TO EXTEND USING NORMAL, ABNORMAL, AND MANUAL PROCEDURES. ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE NLG EXTENDED AND THE MAINS RETRACTED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MLG DOOR ACTUATOR PIVOT TRUNNION UPPER SHAFT HAD FAILED AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE FRACTURE. FOLLOWING THE FRACTURE, THE SEPARATED SHAFT HAD BECOME JAMMED BETWEEN THE TRUNNION AND THE ACTUATOR CLEVIS WHICH PREVENTED THE MANUAL DOOR UNLOCK MECHANISM FROM RELEASING. A REVIEW OF THE SERVICE DIFFICULTY HISTORY OF THE FAILED PART INDICATED THAT SEVERAL SIMILAR FAILURES HAD OCCURRED ON MANUFACTURED PARTS AND THAT A REDESIGNED PART WAS AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. THE OPERATOR HAD COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE REQUIRED INSP'S. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1988_FTW88IA165.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
Beyond the agency record
Search this event elsewhere.
Pre-filled searches into the sources where news + community discussion of aviation events lives. External sources are reported, not agency. Treat them as signal that something happened, not as fact about what happened.
Entity-clustered aviation events in the press — last 24 hr + 30-day archive.
Official agency record + docket.
Investigative docket: factual reports, photos, transcripts.
Long-running aviation incident database (Flight Safety Foundation).
Community NTSB synthesis blog — often has photos and witness reports.
Gold-standard aviation incident blog.
Aviation industry news search.
GA pilot forum — informed but rumor-prone.
GA pilot subreddit search.
Tail-number page — flight history (free tier limited).
AOPA Air Safety Institute search.
Mainstream press coverage. Recent events only.
Privacy-preserving news search.
External links open in a new tab. We don't ingest their content; we deep-link search queries.
Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type. Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 1993 · Journal article (JAAER)
A Cost Analysis: Re-Engining a Boeing 727-200 (Advanced) Versus Buying a New Boeing 757-200
The Boeing 727-200 and 757-200 are both narrowbody aircraft designed for short- to medium-range flights carrying 164 to 214 passengers.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Flight simulator platform motion and air transport pilot training
The effect of a flight simulator platform motion on the performance and training of a pilot was evaluated using subjective ratings and objective performance data obtained on experienced B-727 pilots a…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Description and flight performance of two systems for two-segment approach
This paper describes two different avionic systems which were designed and developed to provide guidance and control for two-segment noise abatement approaches.
- NASA NTRS 2011 · Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Flight Simulator Platform Motion and Air Transport Pilot Training
The influence of flight simulator platform motion on pilot training and performance was examined In two studies utilizing a B-727-200 aircraft simulator.
- NASA NTRS 2011 · Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Predicted airframe noise levels for certification flights
A correction is presented for a previously published inconsistency in predicted airframe noise values, which were based on approach velocities lower than those required for FAA certification.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗