Mishap On Keiko Flight Investigated -- Landing-Gear Repair Could Cost $1 Million

An Air Force investigative board is examining the failure of a landing-gear part that occurred when the plane carrying Keiko the killer whale touched down in Iceland earlier this month.

The matter has been classified a "Class A flight mishap," a designation used for incidents resulting in more than $1 million in loss or a fatality, Air Force officials said yesterday.

Even so, Air Force spokesmen insist that the crew, passengers and internationally famous whale were in no danger, and that the rugged C-17 cargo plane could have taken much more damage and still landed safely.

"It rolled out in a straight line and was under control the whole way," said Lt. Col. Chuck Wynne of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command.

Media representatives from around the world watched the Sept. 10 landing of the plane carrying the star of "Free Willy" from Newport, Ore., to its new home in Iceland's Westman Islands. Some witnesses reported hearing a popping or cracking sound as the plane set down.

Wynne, however, said the damage wasn't detected until the plane's crew performed a routine walk-around inspection afterward.

Members of the Free Willy Keiko Foundation aboard the flight said the landing felt smooth, although they did hear a loud noise.

"It sounded like a `pop,' like something broke," said Beverlee Hughes, foundation president.

Hughes said she thought the sound came from inside the airplane, and some of her co-workers worried that one of the chains holding Keiko's container might have snapped.

The cargo plane cruised smoothly to a halt, she said.

After the damage was found, the plane was left blocking a runway until it could be examined two days later. Wynne said part of the front right landing gear failed, but he did not know which specific part nor how serious the damage was.

The "Class A" designation was assigned, he said, because it's possible damages will top $1 million.

"If the whole landing gear has to be replaced, that would be more than $1 million, but we don't know that yet," Wynne said.

After an inspection and initial repairs, the plane was flown to the Boeing Aerospace Support Center at Kelly Air Force Base in Texas, where it is being examined by Boeing and Air Force specialists.

The $173 million C-17 was built by McDonnell Douglas, which Boeing bought last year. The plane used to haul Keiko was delivered to the Air Force in February.

The C-17 was selected for the job because of its large payload capacity and ability to land on a short runway.

Rick Sanford, spokesman for Boeing's C-17 program, said the C-17 is designed to strike runways with more force than most other aircraft, a feature that helps it stop quickly.

Keiko, along with his water-filled container and the 45 people on board, weighed about 80,000 pounds, far below the aircraft's capacity of 172,000 pounds.

"There was never any danger," Wynne said.

All aspects of the aircraft, including the landing gear, have built-in redundant features so if one part fails, the plane can still be operated safely, Wynne said.

The investigative board, headed by an Air Force colonel, will report its findings to the agency's air-safety office and to the secretary of the Air Force. The time needed for the investigation is not known.

"We want to identify exactly what happened," Wynne said. "And if there's any way we can make it better for the folks who follow, that's what we want to do."

Jack Broom's phone message number is 206-464-2222. His e-mail address is: jbroom@seattletimes.com