May 25, 2009

A Sichuan Airlines Airbus A320-200, flight 3U-8844 from Harbin to Jinan (China), was on approach to Jinan at around 2000 feet, when the crew received an indication of a brakes failure and aborted the approach. While the flight crew went through troubleshooting procedures, the airport prepared for a possible crash landing. About 15 minutes later the crew made a second approach and managed to safely stop the airplane on the runway.

A post flight inspection revealed, that a bird had struck the right main gear causing substantial damage to the gear strut severing hydraulics lines as well as electrical wires and damaging sensors.

The onward flight to Chengdu had to be postponed to the following day until a replacement aircraft arrived bringing spare parts and mechanics to repair the accident airplane and resumed the flight to Chengdu.