Engineering Failure Analysis 10 (2003) 77–84

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Failure analysis of nose landing gear assembly

Hong-Chul Leea, Young-Ha Hwanga, Tae-Gu Kimb,*
a
Engine Division, ATRI(Aero-Tech Research Institute), ROKAF, PO Box 304-160, Kumsa dong,
Dong gu, Deagu 701-799, Republic of Korea
b
Department of Industrial Safety & Health, College of Biomedical Science & Engineering, INJE University,
Gimhae, Gyeongnam, 621-749, Republic of Korea

Received 8 April 2002; accepted 12 May 2002

Abstract
This paper analyses the causes of the incident of an F-4 which landed abnormally due to a crack in the nose landing
gear hydraulic actuator cylinder. Striations, typical of a fatigue crack, were observed on the fracture surface and a large
quantity of corrosive oxide was detected in the initial stage of the crack. Furthermore, surface pits caused by corrosion
were found inside the cylinder. A surface flaw of this kind was connected to the fracture surface as a microscopic crack.
By analyzing the fractography and metallography of the failed parts, it is found that the cylinder pitted as a result of
chemical reaction with internal fluids, the pitting became a microscopic crack and caused failure.
# 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Keywords: Aircraft failures; Landing gear; Fatigue failure; Corrosion

1. Introduction

This study describes the analysis and investigation of causes of an accident of an F-4 that caused a wheel
explosion due to the forced stop of the plane. At the time of the accident, the F-4 was trying to land in
order to return to a base after a tactical mission. The impact on the front wheels was far greater than usual
and thus, it was difficult to control the speed and maintain the direction even after the landing. Conse-
quently, the pilot tried the forced stop by using a hook, which led to the wheel exploding.
During the landing, the main and hydraulic warning light in the cockpit was turned on and the utility
hydraulic meter indicated ‘‘0’’. After the emergency landing, thorough investigation of the wheels was
carried out and showed that part of the hydraulic actuator cylinder supporting the front wheel was cracked
which resulted in the release of the inside hydraulic pressure. As a consequence, the hydraulic actuator that
supports the front wheel stopped its normal function creating the cause of the accident.
For the failure analysis of the cracked parts, ROKAF first obtained chemical analyses of the hydraulic
actuator cylinder materials and examined the mechanism of the crack by observing the fracture surface
with OM and SEM. Also the direct cause of the crack was investigated by probing inside the cylinder.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +82-55-320-3539; fax: +82–55-325-2471.

E-mail address: tgkim@ijnc.inje.ac.kr (T.-G. Kim).

1350-6307/03/$ - see front matter # 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

PII: S1350-6307(02)00031-6
78 H.-C. Lee et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 10 (2003) 77–84

2. Nose landing gear assembly

As shown in Fig. 1, the aircraft’s front leg system has a front wheel which consists of two tires and a
piston as well as a cylinder that eases the impact created by taking off and landing of an aircraft, and a
hydraulic actuator (drag brace) which brings up and down the front leg. The cracked hydraulic actuator is
a system that generates power by using hydraulic pressure. When an aircraft brings down its front leg for
landing, 3000 psi is passed through the passage bolt and shuttle valve as shown in Fig. 2, and flows inside
the cylinder and moves the piston to the left. After taking off, the piston moves in the opposite direction

Fig. 1. Nose landing gear assembly.

Fig. 2. The operating mechanism of the drag brace actuator.

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Fig. 3. Failed nose landing gear drag brace cylinder.

and brings up the front leg. As shown in Fig. 3, the crack extended 17.3 inches from the down line hole
along the body, and 2.8 inches towards the lug. The down line hole is the part where the passage bolt and
drag brace outer cylinder are installed.

3. Cause of accident

3.1. Material properties of actuator cylinder

Results of chemical analysis (Table 1) and hardness test (Table 2) showed that the cylinder was a die forging
aluminum alloy (Al 7049-T73) which was identical to the alloy in the specifications. Since Al 7049-T73 has
high fracture toughness which resists SCC (Stress Corrosion Cracking), it is often used in structural materials
yet is known to be vulnerable to common corrosion [1]. To make up for this, the surface of the cylinder is
processed with primer coating and enamel painting to prevent corrosion, and the cylinder bore is chrome
plated, which increases the hardness of the surface as well as reduces the friction with a piston.

3.2. Fractographic analysis

After observing the crack surface with the naked eye and stereoscopic microscope, both sides of the hole
where the passage bolt is installed showed two distinctive fracture surfaces as shown in Fig. 4. A part of

Table 1
Chemical analysis of failed drag brace cylinder

Part Composition (wt.%) Designation

Si Cu Mn Mg Cr Zn Fe Al

Failed cylinder 0.14 1.74 0.15 2.49 0.13 7.52 0.25 Remainder Al 7049

Table 2
Mechanical properties of failed drag brace cylinder

Material Tensile Yield Elongation Hardness Remarks

strength strength (HB)

Al 7049-T73 72 ksi 62 ksi 7% 135 Die forging

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Fig. 4. Macroscopic examination of cylinder fracture surface.

Fig. 5. Stereoscopic micrographs showing the fracture surface: (a) Fig. 4A; (b) Fig. 4B.

Fig. 4 shows pitting damage as a crack at the end of the thread, while B shows a fracture surface with a
crack spread across a broader section (0.31
0.12 inches) (Fig. 5) To analyze two distinctive fracture
mechanisms, each part was observed by an electron microscope. Fig. 6 shows fatigue striations typical of a
fatigue crack; the crack propagates from the end of the thread to the inside. On the other hand, the fracture
surface elsewhere (Fig. 7), shows dimples from overload rupture [2]. Fig. 8, shows combined corrosion
pitting as a form of micro-crack in an area believed to be the cause of the crack. Corrosion pitting is con-
nected to the fracture surface and these are secondary cracks.
Results of surface component analysis by EDS (Fig. 9) showed S, CI, O (not contained in the original
material). Such components are often seen in corrosion of aluminum alloy and are thought to provide the
cause of cracking. Surrounding areas of thread where further fatigue cracking was detected show a large
quantity of corrosion pitting. However, the parts where pitting did not occur only show lines created dur-
ing manufacture as shown in Fig. 10. EDS analysis (Fig. 11) showed that flawless parts only contain ori-
ginal materials while flawed parts contains additional corrosive oxide (O, S) After considering all the
results of fracture surface analysis of crack surfaces, corrosion pitting is combined inside the cylinder as a
micro-crack which initiated fatigue cracking and eventual overload failure [3].
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Fig. 6. SEM micrographs showing the fatigue fracture surface; rectangular area of Fig. 5(a) (left:
130, right:
850).

Fig. 7. SEM micrographs showing the transition of crack mechanism (fatigue! dimple, left) and dimple formed by overload (right).

Fig. 8. SEM micrographs showing the fatigue crack originated by micro crack(left) and secondary crack which was made by coales-
cence of corrosion pits(right). From rectangles area of Fig. 5(b).
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Fig. 9. Corrosion products spread over the fracture surface (left) and the EDS result of rectangular area (right).

Fig. 10. SEM showing the area of thread; usable cylinder has not been corroded (left) but failed cylinder was severely corroded (right).

Fig. 11. EDS spectra of non-corroded area (left) and corroded area (right).
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Fig. 12. Optical micrographs showing the corroded thread (left) and the corrosion pits in the thread (right).

Fig. 13. Optical micrographs showing the propagation of corrosion from the pits to the inside along the grain boundary (left) and
corrosion defect inside the thread (right).

3.3. Metallographic analysis

For the quantitative analysis of the pitting which is thought to be the direct cause of the fatigue crack,
Part A in Fig. 4 was cut parallel to the fracture surface and abraded using a hard polishing pad, and the
surface damaged by corrosion was examined by etching. The surface of the flawed part has many signs of
corrosion. Particularly, the thread had many pits with a size of 40 mm
30 mm created as a result of cor-
rosion that spread inside. (Fig. 12) Furthermore, Fig. 13 shows how corrosion spreads inside the material
from the pitting on the surface.

4. Discussion

4.1. Cause of accident: corrosion

Striations, typical of a fatigue crack, were observed on the fracture surface and a large quantity of cor-
rosive oxide was detected in the initial stage of the crack that is considered to be the cause of cracking.
84 H.-C. Lee et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 10 (2003) 77–84

Furthermore, inside the hydraulic actuator cylinder was surface pitting due to corrosion. Such pitting is
interconnected and linked to the fracture surface as micro-cracks. Chemical reaction with fluids created
pitting by corrosion. Consequently, repeated stress cycles initiated fatigue cracks at the micro cracks.

4.2. Corrosion

Corrosion is a phenomenon which damages metal due to the chemical reaction from the outside and is
divided into two types: overall corrosion and partial corrosion. Partial corrosion is very hard to predict
and thus it is difficult to prevent. The pitting which occurred in this accident is a form of partial corrosion.
However, to examine the cause of the corrosion which occurred inside the cylinder, it is required to further
analyse the manufacturing process such as surface processing. To prevent possible corrosion, selection of
the material and its continued maintenance and management are highly critical.

5. Conclusions

1. The cause of the accident is a hydraulic actuator cylinder in the nose landing gear due to the pitting
created by internal corrosion.
2. The fatigue cracks reached the critical length as a result of repeated stress cycles in take off and
landing of the aircraft.
3. To examine the fundamental cause of corrosion, further analysis of the manufacturing process such
as surface processing the cylinders required.
4. It is critical to understand the exact cause of the corrosion, thus correct, selection, maintenance and
management of the material is required.

References

[1] Cayless, R. B. C. Metals handbook, vol. 2. American Society for Metals; 1990. p. 20, 111–113.
[2] SEM/TEM fractography handbook. McDonnel Douglas Astronautics, ntington Beach, CA. 505 King Avenue, Columbus (OH),
Metals and Ceramics Information Center, Battelle Columbus Laboratories; 1975.
[3] Pao PS, Gill SJ, Feng CR. On fatigue crack initiation from corrosion pits in -T7351 aluminum alloys. Scripta Materialia 2000;
7075(5):391–6.