A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 757-200 freighter, registration N977FD performing flight FX-1376 from Chattanooga,TN to Memphis,TN (USA) with 3 crew, was climbing out of runway 20 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting a minor issue requiring them to work checklists. About 15 minutes later the crew indicated they needed to return to Chattanooga and needed some time to run the checklists, no emergency was declared. Another 5 minutes later the crew reported they still needed time to bring the flaps down, then they would be ready for an approach.
The crew reported ready for the approach another 4 minutes later and commenced the approach, advising they were having flight control issues but no assistance was needed. While on approach the crew requested to abort the approach advising they now had an unsafe gear indication. The crew subsequently indicated that after landing they would not be able to vacate the runway, they were able to lower their landing gear, and declared emergency. The crew subsequently requested a low approach to have the airport check whether the gear was down. Following the low approach both ground staff and tower reported they could not see any gear. Emergency services were alerted to a “no gear landing” at alert level 3. The crew advised they would be stopping on the runway and would evacuate, they had about one hour of fuel remaining. The aircraft positioned for a no gear landing on runway 20, then advised they wanted another orbit, approach clearance was cancelled. About 10 minutes later the crew intercepted the localizer runway 20 again and touched down about 85 minutes after departure but overran the end of the runway. Tower immediately closed the airfield when the aircraft touched down. There were no injuries.
Chattanooga’s fire department reported: “Public safety agencies rushed to the Chattanooga Regional Airport late Wed night after receiving reports that a FedEx757 was on its final approach with a landing gear failure. The call came in at 11:04 PM on 10/4/23. CFD, CPD and HCEMS quickly staged in position and waited.”
On Oct 5th 2023 the NTSB announced: “NTSB investigating the Oct. 4 runway excursion involving a FedEx B757-236 due to a gear up landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee.”
On Oct 5th 2023 the FAA reported: “AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LANDING GEAR ANOMALY, RETURNED TO AIRPORT AND LANDED GEAR UP, CHATTANOOGA, TN.”
Source – Aviation Herald
