THIRD SAS Q400 Gear Collapse in 2 Months

[BoilerUP]

It was asked by not answered earlier...

Has QX had anything remotely like this happen in their fleet?

 

[katanabob]

I believe in coincidences until I see too many of them.

SAS operates (operated) only 24 of the 140 Q400s in service. (That's 17% of the worldwide fleet) Statistically speaking, it's highly unlikely that (assuming all things equal) all three gear failures would occur in this sampling unless the failure aircraft are of similar age/serial and thus were manufactured by the same hands, have parts installed of similar lot number, and have been flown under the same conditions and standards. Equally important to note is that all have been inspected and maintained under the same conditions and standards.

I think those who are driven to point fingers should be looking at more than one coincidence. (Fleet type) It appears, from a statistical standpoint, that SAS is as likely the cause.

 

[ReverseSensing]

It was asked by not answered earlier...

Has QX had anything remotely like this happen in their fleet?

Management claims we have not.

This latest accident was materially different than the previous two. SAS is reacting to the potential public back-lash as opposed to hard facts about the cause of the most recent accident. I believe the accident aircraft was still quarantined by Danish authorities, so there is little way SAS could know exactly what failed on this one, but one thing is pretty clear: this gear failed to extend; the others were extended, but collapsed. That alone points to different causation.

Unless one thinks that the primary causation is a general "this thing's a piece of crap." Might be something to that.

SAS's first Q400s started service in 2000. Horizon's in 2001. I hope we're not seeing a preview of our own future.

 

[General Lee]

SAS is saying they will stop flying their 23 DH4s, and 4 from their subsidiary Wideroe. That means 27 will be available to anyone who wants them. Lynx, Porter out of Toronto Island Airport in Canada, Colgan, and Horizon will probably look at them. ASA may too. They will probably be discounted in price too.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Future Furlough]

SAS is saying they will stop flying their 23 DH4s, and 4 from their subsidiary Wideroe. That means 27 will be available to anyone who wants them. Lynx, Porter out of Toronto Island Airport in Canada, Colgan, and Horizon will probably look at them. ASA may too. They will probably be discounted in price too.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Already "broke" in even.

 

[dav8or]

Feathering the right propeller was a great compromise between safety and system requirements which worked out in their favor.

Shutting down the engine with landing assured was a great idea. Closing the fuel, bleed and hydraulic valves minimized post crash fire risk. Not to mention reducing the energy on the prop that could shatter and come through the cabin. I don't think he did it just to save the engine rebuild.

 

[DashTrash400]

From what I heard at QX before I left, maintenance found significant corrosion on one downlock; they said that gear could've failed at some point in the future. The inspections didn't turn up any other problems.

I find it very interesting that this happened after SAS did the required/recommended inspection on their entire fleet. Obviously, it was not comprehensive enough, or the design is such that potential sources of failure are not easily detectible ahead of time.

 

[ReverseSensing]

I find it very interesting that this happened after SAS did the required/recommended inspection on their entire fleet. Obviously, it was not comprehensive enough, or the design is such that potential sources of failure are not easily detectible ahead of time.

Or there was a lot of recent maintenance on the accident aircraft's RMLG (rumor) and that it's failure to extend was purely coincidental in light of the early September accidents.

First two accidents: gear free-falls with such force that it breaks parts on the way down.

This accident: gear jambs so hard that it won't free-fall and can't be pumped down.

Either way, I think SAS was snake-bit and probably did the only logical thing it could do business-wise to protect its reputation.