Stapleton International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80220
Thursday, May 23, 1991 20:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING MID-BASE LEG FOR A VFR APPROACH TO LANDING AT STAPELTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THE PILOT OF N81TR WAS SELECTING FULL FLAP POSITION, WHEN HE HEARD A DULL THUD. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A ROLL TO THE LEFT, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT UNITL HE COULD RAISE THE FLAP HANDLE. AFTER SELECTING 'FLAP UP POSITION,' THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO NORMAL FLIGHT, AND A NORMAL NO FLAP LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. AFTER LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED AND INSPECTED. A BROKEN FLAP CABLE WAS FOUND. LATER, TESTS REVEALED THE CABLE HAD SEPARATED DUE TO FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF FLAP CABLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2025
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80220
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5333
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44986
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81TR
NTSB Number DEN91IA076
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model 690C
Aircraft Series Identifier 690C
Aircraft Serial Number 11690
Certified Max Gross Weight 9200
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CASPER AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 300 AIRPORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City CASPER
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82604
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CASPER AIR SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code CBCA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CYS
Departure City CHEYENNE
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1912
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 7700
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --