Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80916
Wednesday, December 19, 1990 20:02 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 800 FEET AGL, THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE FAILED. THE CAPTAIN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLIGHT TO DENVER WHERE HE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY REVEALED BEARING FAILURE DUE TO A CRACK IN THE NUMBER SIX BEARING OUTER RACE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF TURBINE FAILURE. UNCONTAINED PENETRATION OCURRED AT THE 2:30, 5:30, AND 6:30 POSITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF AN ENGINE BEARING.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2002
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80916
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6172
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 125
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5042
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43589
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40486
NTSB Number DEN91IA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-22
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-22
Aircraft Serial Number 18848
Certified Max Gross Weight 152500
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 126
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 4607
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77210
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 COS
Departure City COLORADO SPRING
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1959
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --