That time in Atlanta when a wheel bearing failed during taxi changed my inspection habits

I was working a 737 at a maintenance base in Atlanta back in 2018 when a wheel bearing let go during taxi and the whole assembly seized up before they got to the gate. The inspection report showed no obvious signs of wear just 30 cycles prior, which made me realize how easy it is to miss bearing fatigue if you are not looking at the race with a bright light. Has anyone else had a close call where a supposedly good part failed way earlier than expected?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendy_garcia1615d ago

Had a buddy this happened to up in Newark a few years back. He was doing a routine walkaround on an A319 before pushback and the bearing on the number two main looked fine, no heat discoloration or anything. But the second they started moving, it locked up hard and shredded the whole hub before they could stop. The race had a hairline crack that was basically invisible unless you had a borescope and knew exactly where to look. Now he tells every new guy he works with to check bearings like they owe them money, not just give them a quick glance.

alicea2613d ago

Started doing that exact thing after a similar close call on a 737 a couple years back. Grabbed a bright LED light and really took my time on every single bearing, running my finger along the race surface to feel for anything weird. Saved my ass twice now with cracks I wouldve totally missed otherwise, so I swear by the hands on check.

mason_barnes15d ago

Man those hairline cracks are the absolute worst, they'll sneak up on you every time.