Ryanair problem at Riga.

roundymac

An Ryanair flight from Brussels to Riga had a problem with it's landing gear and had to circle for over half an hour before the problem was rectified. On approach to Riga the crew informed the tower that there was an landing gear indication that the was not properly deployed. The aircraft performed a low level flypast of the tower who informed the crew that one of the wheels did not appear to have fully extended. The aircraft then entered a holding pattern while the problem was rectified and the aircraft landed safetly.
This information is from to-days Irish Examiner.

highlydebased

http://avherald.com/h?article=441b7fd4&opt=0

A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DWT performing flight FR-8085 from Brussels Charleroi (Belgium) to Riga (Latvia), was on approach to Riga when the crew reported a gear unsafe indication, performed a low approach which confirmed one of the main gear struts was not down. The aircraft climbed back to 6000 feet and entered a holding to trouble shoot the problem. About 45 minutes after aborting the first approach the crew managed to lower and lock all gear and landed safely on Riga's runway 18.

Riga Airport reported that there were already considerations to have the aircraft ditch in the Gulf of Riga just north of the aerodrome.

Latvia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed the aircraft had a problem with the landing gear. The aircraft subsequently entered a holding area to work the problem, then performed another overflight (according to radar data at 2500 feet MSL) for another visual check by experts from the ground which confirmed all gear had reached the fully down position and commenced a safe landing immediately thereafter.

scholar007

Maybe Micko has decided to save on tyres. "Lads ye can only land on the nose wheel and one other".

cuterob

would it be safer to ditch than to try land on two gears on the runway? dump fuel and switch off the engine on the problematic gear side?

christy c

cuterob wrote: »

would it be safer to ditch than to try land on two gears on the runway? dump fuel and switch off the engine on the problematic gear side?

Doubt it would be safer, ditching is fairly high risk from what I've heard. 737s cannot dump fuel, not sure if they switch off an engine or what the procedure is. There's a TNT landing on youtube with only 2 gear down- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry48fSFPX4Y

Cool stuff

Delta Kilo

Id imagine ditching would be the safer option, but its a bit like being asked do you want to be stabbed or shot, the outcome could be quite similar.

It would be exceptionally difficult to land the aircraft with a main gear gone. Like trying to ride a unicycle for the first time i would imagine. Very high chance of catching a wing and cartwheeling and exploding down the runway.

View Profile

Ah no way it was considering ditching in water rather then a controlled landing onto a smooth runway with emergency services standing by!!

Sully may have pulled off a one in a million water landing buts its far safer to land an aircraft on a runway despite only one gear being deployed.

Cessna_Pilot

cuterob wrote: »

would it be safer to ditch than to try land on two gears on the runway? dump fuel and switch off the engine on the problematic gear side?

No, God no.

cuterob

View Profile wrote: »

Ah no way it was considering ditching in water rather then a controlled landing onto a smooth runway with emergency services standing by!!

Sully may have pulled off a one in a million water landing buts its far safer to land an aircraft on a runway despite only one gear being deployed.

that's what I was thinking.. then why was there considerations to ditch it? is it just the media adding the drama?

Cessna_Pilot

cuterob wrote: »

that's what I was thinking.. then why was there considerations to ditch it? is it just the media adding the drama?

If you read the piece carefully, it looks like they imply the considerations for "a ditching" were from the ground. Not a chance in hell the crew would have even remotely considered it. Media adding spice as usual.