bueb0g From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2010, 547 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 1 month 7 hours ago) and read 12745 times:
AV herald reporting estimated landing time is 21:30 Zulu. Apparently it's a whole wheel that's fallen off - the aircraft is expected to make a "normal landing".
Asturias From Spain, joined Apr 2006, 1934 posts, RR: 17 Reply 9, posted (1 year 1 month 7 hours ago) and read 11839 times:
Beautiful landing, it seems it is completely missing one rear tire off the left set. It seems really clean, not like it is broken or anything, it just fell off.
Thank God it was an eventless landing, but the plane had to circle to burn off fuel for 2+ hours, which must have been pretty hard on the passengers.
I'm just glad things went this well - but does anyone know how common it is to lose a tyre, clean off?
AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5381 posts, RR: 11 Reply 10, posted (1 year 1 month 7 hours ago) and read 11839 times:
Quoting Continental (Reply 6): How does a wheel just fall off? Did the tire blow first before it fell?
Poor maintenance (I'm a mechanic, so I'm biased to say that this is the less likely possibility) or metal fatigue.
The wheel assembly is held on with a lug nut, which is torqued to a specific value set by the manufacturer.
The lug nut is then held in place with, not one but TWO bolts, inserted THROUGH the threads of the axle. This should keep the lug nut from coming off, even if it worked itself loose from the torque value somehow.
So, needless to say, one coming off is "not possible." Yet, it happens periodically.
The end of the axle has been known to break off, taking the lug nut and safety nuts with it, which would definitely allow the wheel to zing straight off the end.
eaa3 From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 959 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 1 month 7 hours ago) and read 11741 times:
They flew quite a few circles to burn of fuel. KEF to Orlando is upwards of 8 hours but the aircraft turned around after 1.5 hours so there was quite a bit of fuel that needed to be burned of.
The passengers will be put on another plane if they wish to continue later tonight.
dptpa From United States of America, joined Jan 2010, 12 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (1 year 1 month 3 hours ago) and read 10596 times:
Here at SFB tower where we normally close at 11:00pm, an overtime shift has been called in to cover the late arrival from KEF. Interesting note on this, my understanding is that the overtime cost tonight does not come out of FAA funds. It will be reimbursed by the airport authority and later billed to Icelandair.
eaa3 From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 959 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (1 year 1 month 3 hours ago) and read 10401 times:
Quoting Continental (Reply 15): How is Icelandair's maintenance record, just out of curiosity? I might be flying them soon. I'm sure it's fine, but the more info the better.
I don't know if there's a specific maintenance record but their general safety record is excellent. On par with any first world airline. They have not had an accident since 1963. The airline was formed in 1937.
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