Boeing 757-225 incident near Charlotte, North Carolina, October 28, 2007
On October 28, 2007 at about 1:48 pm local time, a Boeing 757-225, registered N919UW, suffered minor damage in an incident near Charlotte, North Carolina (Charlotte/Douglas Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The truck beam fracture initiated by fatigue and stress corrosion cracking from pits that were present on the ID surface of the truck beam, under the protective finishes. Crack propagation occurred by alternating modes of stress corrosion cracking and fatigue until final fracture occurred by ultimate ductile separation. The condition of the surface finishes and base metal at the fracture initiation area indicated that the pitting was present before the last application of cadmium plating and primer, rather than the result of corrosion since the last overhaul. The observed pitting appeared to be remnants of incomplete corrosion removal during the last overhaul.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2007 · about 1:48 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Charlotte/Douglas Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-225 · all 757-225s on the register
- Registration
- N919UW · no longer on the register · serial 22198
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 28, 2007, a US Airways Boeing 757-200, N919UW, experienced a fracture of the truck beam on the left hand (LH) main landing gear (MLG) while preparing for departure from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT). The airplane was loaded with flight crew, cabin crew, passengers and cargo at the time of the truck beam failure. There was no other damage to the airplane and there were no injuries to any of the occupants or the ground personnel. The truck beam had accumulated 24,025 cycles since new and 2,707 cycles since its last overhaul which occurred in May, 2005. The truck beam fracture initiated by fatigue and stress corrosion cracking from pits that were present on the ID surface of the truck beam, under the protective finishes. Crack propagation occurred by alternating modes of stress corrosion cracking and fatigue until final fracture occurred by ultimate ductile separation. The condition of the surface finishes and base metal at the fracture initiation area indicated that the pitting was present before the last application of cadmium plating and primer, rather than the result of corrosion since the last overhaul. The observed pitting appeared to be remnants of incomplete corrosion removal during the last overhaul. Residual stress analysis of the ID surface in the fracture initiation region suggested that the blended area did not receive adequate peening to restore typical residual compressive stresses. The observed reduction in residual compressive stresses likely contributed to the fracture initiation. The wall thickness at the area of fracture initiation measured 0.29” and was within drawing dimensional tolerances. Chemical analysis and hardness testing verified that the truck beam was fabricated from the required material in the specified heat treated condition. Evaluation of the protective finishes on the truck beam indicated that the cadmium plating on the ID surface did not meet the minimum thickness requirements.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Airways INC
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.