Cause of failed Alaska Airlines landing gear that sent passengers screaming revealed

Nearly two years after an Alaska Airlines flight experienced a tumultuous landing in Santa Ana, California, where sparks flew down the runway as passengers screamed, the cause of the incident has finally been disclosed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Following a hard touchdown during Tropical Storm Hilary, the NTSB’s final report released on Tuesday attributed the mishap to “incorrect” maintenance work. The flight, originating from Seattle, Washington, suffered a collapse of the left main landing gear upon landing.

Video footage captured by a passenger depicted the aircraft hitting the ground with force, generating sparks as it seemed to drag its left wing along the tarmac. Investigators determined that a “fatigue crack” in a metal trunnion pin, a component of the left landing gear, was responsible for the incident.

The crack was a result of excessive grinding during a maintenance overhaul in 2018, causing heat damage to the metal. Despite being initially imperceptible, the crack progressed over time and eventually led to the pin fracturing during landing, as outlined in the NTSB report.

The report highlighted that the pin had undergone over 4,000 landing cycles since the 2018 maintenance, with the crack likely existing for around 800 landing cycles, according to the NTSB’s findings.

Despite the significant damage sustained by the aircraft during the rough landing, all 112 passengers and crew members were able to disembark safely without any injuries. Alaska Airlines had previously expressed its commitment to assisting the passengers affected by the incident.

Alaska Airlines did not provide an immediate response to Fox News Digital’s request for comments.