On Sunday, April 21, FlySafair flight FA212 from Johannesburg to Cape Town International Airport experienced a landing gear issue. As the aircraft was airborne, ground staff at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) reported witnessing damage to one of the wheels on the main landing gear.
The flight crew was alerted and made the decision to return to Johannesburg. The aircraft entered a holding pattern near Parys to burn excess fuel and performed a low approach over the airport for a visual inspection by the safety teams on the ground.
Upon arriving at OR Tambo International Airport, the ground crew confirmed that one of the four rear wheels had detached during the takeoff roll. The affected wheel was attached to the left rear landing strut.
The aircraft landed safely at JNB at 14:06. Emergency response vehicles were on standby as the aircraft was inspected by safety and engineering teams on the runway. Passengers were transferred to a backup aircraft to continue their journey to Cape Town.
Investigations are underway to determine the nature and cause of the tire damage. The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft touched down smoothly. However, one of the runways at OR Tambo was temporarily closed following the incident, resulting in all airlines using a single runway for a few hours.
FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon expressed gratitude to customers for their understanding and praised the crews for their handling of the issue. The Johannesburg-based low-cost carrier operates a fleet of 34 Boeing 737 aircraft and is considering the addition of the 737 MAX in the future.
