Stapleton International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80207
Tuesady, April 27, 1993 17:28 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FOLLOWING TOUCHDOWN A LANDING GEAR VIBRATION OCCURRED WHICH LED TO A COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AT 117 KNOTS. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY AS IT ENTERED THE OVERRUN. DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY EVACUATION TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. EXAMINATION OF APPLICABLE COMPONENTS DID NOT PROVIDE A SPECIFIC CAUSE FOR THE VIBRATION THAT LED TO THE COLLAPSE. THREADS ON THE RIGHT GEAR APEX BOLT FAILED RESULTING IN THE GEAR'S 90 DEGREE ROTATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT OVERLOAD COLLAPSE. THE GROUND SPOILERS DID NOT ACTIVATE AND THE CREW STATED THAT THEY HAD ARMED AUTO SPOILERS. THE MANUFACTURER REPORTED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF THREE SIMILAR NON-FLIGHT TEST OCCURRENCES. IN ALL THREE EVENTS THE GROUND SPOILERS DID NOT EXTEND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A VIBRATION IN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, WHICH RESULTED IN COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. A FACTOR WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ENSURE DEPLOYMENT OF THE GROUND SPOILERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1728
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80207
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STAPLETON 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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5333
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1731 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5333
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6300
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 2
Injury Total None 119
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 796
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72822
NTSB Number DEN93FA049
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-82
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-82
Aircraft Serial Number 49482
Certified Max Gross Weight 142000
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 150
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 252
Airframe Hours 21572
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77210
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code CALA
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 No
Departure Airport Code SFO
Departure City SAN FRANCISCO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26R
Runway Length 8599
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --