Stray Flashlight Forced Emergency LAX Landing
A flashlight left by a mechanic in a wheel gear system forced a United Airlines Boeing 737 jetliner to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Aug. 21, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed Wednesday.
The NTSB inspector in charge of the investigation, James Wall, said the flashlight prevented the jet’s right main landing gear from unlocking so its two wheels could be lowered. The jet skidded to a safe landing on its nose gear, left main gear and the engine under the right wing.
The 107 people aboard slid down emergency chutes and there were no injuries.
The flight from Oakland was diverted to LAX from the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport at 9 a.m. when a cockpit light indicated an unsafe landing gear.
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