Summary
- A FlySafair Boeing 737 lost a wheel mid-flight but safely landed back in Johannesburg.
- Emergency response teams at OR Tambo Airport met the aircraft on the runway and transferred passengers to another plane.
- One of the runways at OR Tambo was closed for a few hours, with airlines using a single runway.
On Sunday, April 21, a FlySafair Boeing 737-800 was forced to return to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) after losing one of its main landing gear wheels. The crew managed to land the aircraft safely, but the runway was closed for a few hours.
Incident on a domestic flight
The aircraft was operating Flight FA212 from Johannesburg to Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Flightradar24 shows that the flight departed Johannesburg at 11:48 local time, and the initial stages of the flight went as planned. The flight was scheduled to arrive at 13:50.
Photo: FlySafair
However, as the aircraft was airborne, the OR Tambo ground staff reported witnessing what appeared to be damage to one of the wheels on the main landing gear. They immediately alerted the flight crew, and a decision was made to return to the airport.
The flight adjusted its course to return to Johannesburg and entered a holding pattern near Parys to burn excess fuel. The crew also performed a low approach over the airport for the safety teams on the ground to make a visual inspection of the landing gear.
The aircraft passed over OR Tambo at approximately 13:20, and the ground crew confirmed that one of the four rear wheels had detached during the takeoff roll. One of the two wheels attached to the left rear landing strut was affected. The flight entered another holding pattern over Centurion before landing at JNB at 14:06.
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While the first officer told the NTSB that he thought the runway was wet, the captain told the investigators that it was dry.
Emergency response at OR Tambo
The aircraft operating the flight has registration ZS-FGE. According to ATDB.aero, it was built in September 2007 and delivered to FlySafair in November 2020. The 17-year-old 737 landed safely at OR Tambo Airport and was met by emergency response vehicles.
Photo: FlySafair
The aircraft was inspected by safety and engineering teams on the runway before it proceeded to the terminal. Affected passengers were transferred to a backup aircraft to continue their journey to Cape Town. Speaking about the development, FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon said,
“We extend our thanks to our customers for their patience and understanding through this process and to our crews both on the ground and in the air for managing this issue with the utmost control and care, exemplifying our commitment to safety above all else.”
Investigations are underway to determine the nature and cause of the tyre damage. The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) confirmed the Sunday incident, stating that the aircraft touched down smoothly. However, one of the runways at OR Tambo was temporarily closed following the incident, so all airlines used a single runway for a few hours. ACSA Regional General Manager Jabulani Khambule added,
“We would like to praise FlySafair pilots and crew for their professional handling of this emergency. Their training and experience ensured that all passengers onboard the plane walked away unscathed.”
FlySafair Boeing 737 fleet plans
FlySafair has one of Africa’s largest Boeing 737 fleets. The Johannesburg-based low-cost carrier currently has 34 of the type, comprising 737-800s and -400s. Last month, Kirby Gordon revealed the airline’s fleet plans for 2024 at the FlySafair Aviation and Travel Trends Roundtable in Johannesburg. It expects to end the year with a fleet of 36 aircraft.
Photo: Tatenda Karuwa | Simple Flying
After significant expansion in 2023, with new international routes, 2024 will be a year of consolidation as the carrier focuses on identifying strategic routes and refining its fleet. As FlySafair looks to invest in new equipment over the next few years, it has entered preliminary talks with Boeing about operating the 737 MAX. However, it does not expect to operate the new generation aircraft in the next couple of years.
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