Description

On 1 August 2019, an Airbus A320 (VH-VFN) being operated by JetStar Airways on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Sydney to Gold Coast annunciated multiple warnings of the landing gear not retracting when so selected shortly after a day VMC takeoff. Recycling the gear did not resolve the situation and soon after this, an unidentified aircraft part was reported and recovered from the same taxiway used by the A320 and its crew were informed. They completed applicable procedures and returned to make a normal landing albeit with some directional control issues unaware that the part found had since been identified as from a main gear leg. Further damage was caused to this gear leg during landing and once clear of the runway, the aircraft was shut down, the left main gear temporarily secured and the aircraft then towed to the gate for passenger disembarkation.

Investigation

A Serious Incident Investigation into the event was carried out by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). Relevant data from the flight and prior ones was recovered from the QAR. Additional relevant data was also recovered from the ECAM NVM in respect of annunciations displayed to the crew and copied to the operator’s maintenance control centre by ACARS.