Date & Time:
Mar 22, 1964 at 1619 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.106 Comet
Operator:
Registration:
G-APDH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangkok – Kuala Lumpur – Singapore
MSN:
6409
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
ML511
Country:
Singapore
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight cycles:
4500
Circumstances:
The flight from Kuala Lumpur was uneventful until the airplane approached Singapore. Visibility was good as the co-pilot started the approach to runway 02. The flare was initiated a little late and the airplane touched down firmly. The Comet bounced and floated a few feet over the runway. During the bounce the starboard wheel bogie and part of the landing gear leg dropped off. The crew tried to hold the wing off the ground after the aircraft settled back onto the runway. Finally the wing contacted the runway. The engines were shut down and left wheel brakes applied before the aircraft came to rest. At the time of the accident, the gears totalized 4,500 landings and was certified for 8,000.
Probable cause:
The landing gear leg, which had previously been weakened by fatigue, failed on first impact during the landing.
