Boeing MD-11 incident near Singapore, Sg, April 27, 2008
On April 27, 2008, a Boeing MD-11, registered N595FE, suffered minor damage in an incident during standing near Singapore (Singapore Changi Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The Center Landing gear (CLG) strut failed due to intergranular (IG) cracking resulted from a contamination of the surface from the chemical used to clean that area prior to painting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2008
- Place
- Singapore, Singapore · Singapore Changi Airport
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing MD-11
- Registration
- N595FE · registry record · serial 48553
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a pre-flight walk around of a MD-11, a oil leak was found underneath the Center Landing gear (CLG) Strut. Examination of the CLG Cylinder confirmed that there a longitudinal crack along the aft side of the cylinder. Metallurgical examine revealed that the failure of the cylinder was due to intergranular cracking caused by contamination of the surface from the chemical used to clean that area prior to painting.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft structural failure during standing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55,739 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 12, 2008
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: SIN Singapore
- Destination: SIN Singapore
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- 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.