Warrant Officer Gordon Woods
Sergeant Douglas Hall
On departure from Zagreb, 15 September 2004, the right hand (RH) main landing gear (MLG) on Hercules aircraft 130343 failed to retract. Later inspection showed that the forward RH MLG had failed to retract but the aft RH MLG did. This resulted in damage to the emergency brake hydraulic lines and the landing gear itself. It took the crew over two hours while holding over Zagreb to get the landing gear secured down.
During this emergency, Flight Engineers (FEs), Warrant Officer (WO) Woods and Sergeant (Sgt) Hall executed multiple checklists efficiently and effectively. Their professionalism and experience was displayed when they were faced with an emergency scenario that was not directly covered in any checklist. When the forward RH MLG failed to retract, the crew selected the gear lever down, and the cockpit indications showed three down and locked. Although the gear appeared to be down and locked after the normal extension, the FEs carried out a visual inspection of the landing gear, even though it meant moving cargo around in the back. The inspection revealed the problem with the RH MLG - it wasn't down after all.
As each checklist failed to deliver the desired results, they proceeded to the next. When they reached the last checklist they ran into another obstacle. When all other checklists fail to get the gear down, the final checklist calls for the landing gear torque tubes to be removed using the quick disconnects. However, the rear torque tube was so compressed that the quick disconnects would not function. Displaying their resourcefulness and systems knowledge WO Woods and Sgt Hall wrapped a tie-down strap around the torque shaft. One FE applied tension to the strap while the other pried at the quick disconnects. Their technique worked, enabling them to carry on with the rest of the checklist and ratchet the gear down.
WO Woods and Sgt Hall persevered, using their professional knowledge, abilities and ingenuity to get the landing gear down. Their actions undoubtedly saved the aircraft from extensive damage if not destruction and correspondingly ensured the safety of those onboard.
Warrant Officer Woods and Sergeant Hall serve with 426 Training Squadron, 8 Wing Trenton.
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