WestJet Q400 declares emergency with landing gear issue

Breaking story out of the Prince George Airport. WestJet Encore flight 3105 is circling the airport after aborting their landing attempt. Reports are that the nose gear failed to extend and lock, and is only halfway down.

www.cbc.ca...

You can see what looks like an aborted landing followed by +2100

flightaware.com...

de Havilland Dash 8-400

Didn't she land?

originally posted by: Cauliflower
You can see what looks like an aborted landing followed by +2100

flightaware.com...

"Aborted landing" is probably trying to bounce on the runway to get the gear down.

a reply to: Violater1

Yes, they're reporting that they are on the ground. The news article didn't mention if they had landed yet,and that was the only source they had anywhere for it.

a reply to: paradoxious

The Q400 has a long history of landing gear issues. They went through a couple year period where they suffered main gear collapses every time you turned around it seemed.

it seems it landed safely,

WestJet Encore flight 3105,

www.princegeorgecitizen.com...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: paradoxious

The Q400 has a long history of landing gear issues. They went through a couple year period where they suffered main gear collapses every time you turned around it seemed.

There have also been a number of nose gear problems, caused by everything from a missing bolt to a misaligned o ring blocking the actuator. The emergency gear extension protocol is also problematic. It takes 90 pounds of pressure on the uplock release handle is required. One accident happened when the crewmember wasn't strong enough to exert the necessary force (Air New Zealand flight NZ8309.)

a reply to: F4guy

That's ridiculous to require that much pressure to operate.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: F4guy

That's ridiculous to require that much pressure to operate.

And it's compounded by the fact that the uplock release in the -400 simulator only takes about 30 pounds to activate. So the needed force is unexpected. I don't know if part of the AFM has a "Go find the biggest guy in Coach" checklist, but they need one.

a reply to: F4guy

New item for the MEL. Weightlifter, 1 ea.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: F4guy

New item for the MEL. Weightlifter, 1 ea.

And since the Dash 8 is Canadian, he or she has to be bilingual English/French. Which has to gall the folks in England at DeHavilland, who designed the beast.