Denver International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80249
Wednesday, August 19, 1998 17:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after the airplane took off, the crew heard a loud noise and felt a slight vibration from the left propeller. They returned and landed. It was discovered that the propeller erosion shield had debonded and a portion had penetrated the passenger cabin just aft of the airstair door, knocked ajar Seat 1A Passenger Service Unit, ricocheted off the ceiling, and penetrated the inner window pane at Seat 2C. Laboratory examination of the propeller blade revealed an area 'consistent with adhesive disbonding (debond) on about 80% of the total bond area...' Three hundred hours before the accident, the blade had been overhauled and repaired. The repaired area contained numerous voids, air bubbles, dirt and debris. Evidence of chaffing (rubbing) was found at several locations in the debonded area, indicative of movement between the debonded erosion shield and the propeller blade body. Samples of the erosion shield adhesive were tested and found to have been mixed in improper proportions, reducing bond strength.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Debonding of the propeller erosion shield due to an improper overhaul and repair by other maintenance personnel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport DENVER INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DEN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5431
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7686
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 14
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1538
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2006 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N251GL
NTSB Number FTW98FA364
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 1900D
Aircraft Series Identifier 1900D
Aircraft Serial Number UE-251
Certified Max Gross Weight 16950
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 19
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 15 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 4142
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MESA AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2325 E. 30TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City FARMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREAT LAKES AVIATION, LTD.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1965 330TH ST.
Operator City SPENCER
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 51301
Operator Code GLBA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DEN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RKS
Destination City ROCK SPRINGS
Destination State WY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2006 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17R
Runway Length 12000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --