Stapleton Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80207
Friday, September 16, 1988 18:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

CONTINENTAL EXPRESS FLIGHT 206, A BEECH 1900 AIRLINER, DEPARTED DENVER, CO, FOR NORTH PLATTE, NE. DURING DESCENT FOR LANDING, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER GEAR. LEFT MAIN AND NOSE GEARS LOCKED DOWN BUT RIGHT MAIN STUCK IN INTERMEDIATE POSITION. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND GEAR VIA MANUAL EXTENSION AND ACCELERATED 'G' MANEUVERS. BOTH ATTEMPTS FAILED. FLIGHT RETURNED TO DENVER AND PILOT EXECUTED WHEELS-UP LANDING. POST-INCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED FOREIGN MATERIAL LODGED IN POPPET SEAT AND RETAINER OF LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR EXTEND PORT. ACTUATOR WAS CLEANED, REASSEMBLED, AND FUNCTIONALLY TESTED OK. FOREIGN SUBSTANCE WAS ANALYZED BY FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND IDENTIFIED AS LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (I.E. PLASTIC BAG OR DUST COVER). RESIDUE ON FOREIGN SUBSTANCE WAS IDENTIFIED AS MIL-H-5606 HYDRAULIC FLUID. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED SUBSTANCE COULD HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED INTO ACTUATOR DURING MANUFACTURE OR INTO HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DURING AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/16/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80207
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STAPLETON INT'L
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 1821 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5333
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
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) 7569
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 9
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5037
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37457
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N32017
NTSB Number DEN88IA207
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 1900
Aircraft Series Identifier 1900
Aircraft Serial Number UC-37
Certified Max Gross Weight 16600
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 141
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HANGAR 6, STAPLETON AIRPORT
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80207
Operator Code RMAA
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 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LBF
Destination City NORTH PLATTE
Destination State NE
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 35
Runway Length 12000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --