Alaska Airlines landing gear collapse caused by fatigue crack, NTSB finds

Nearly two years after passengers screamed while sparks flew down a runway during the landing of an Alaska Airlines flight, the cause has been revealed.

A final report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released on Tuesday points to “incorrect” maintenance work. 

The flight, which departed from Seattle, Washington, made a hard touchdown in Santa Ana, Calif., during Tropical Storm Hilary after the left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown.

Video recorded by a passenger captured the plane slamming into the ground at high speed. Sparks were seen flying as the plane appeared to drag its left wing along the tarmac.

ALASKA AIRLINES PASSENGERS SCREAM AS PLANE MAKES HARD LANDING AMID TROPICAL STORM HILARY: ‘SPARKS OUTSIDE’

NTSB issued the final report for its investigation into a 2023 Alaska Airlines landing that landed with a collapsed left main landing gear at John Wayne-Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California. (@NTSB_Newsroom/X)

Investigators revealed that the incident was caused by a “fatigue crack” of a metal trunnion pin, which is part of the left landing gear. The fracture formed from excessive grinding during a 2018 maintenance overhaul, which introduced heat damage to the metal. While the crack was initially not visible, it grew over time and ultimately “caused the pin to fracture during landing,” the NTSB report said.

“Results of this examination and previous NTSB investigations demonstrate that even relatively mild heat exposure from grinding and/or machining during overhaul can lead to cracking, which can lead to fatigue crack growth and failed landing gear components, as occurred in this accident,” the report stated.

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Firefighters with the Orange County Fire Authority helped passengers deplane Alaska Airlines Flight 1288 on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. (Orange County Fire Authority)

The report added that the pin had endured more than 4,000 landing cycles since undergoing the 2018 maintenance work. The crack itself had likely been present for approximately 800 landing cycles, the NTSB found. 

Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage from the hard landing, all 112 passengers and crew members were able to deplane safely and without injury. 

Alaska Airlines Flight 1288 was forced to make a hard landing at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, amid Tropical Storm Hilary. (Orange County Fire Authority)

Alaska Airlines previously said, “our focus is taking care of our guests who were on board, including retrieving their checked bags.”

“We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate their patience during this situation.”

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Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.