Denver Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80249
Tuesady, March 21, 2006 9:12 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the flight crew, the departure, en route, and initial approach phases were reported to be without incident. During the approach, the crew selected gear down and flaps 28 [degrees] for landing and the landing weight was 127,000 pounds. The air traffic control tower reported the winds at 100 degree and 6 knots. The airplane broke out of a thin cloud layer with the base at approximately 1,000 feet above ground level. At 100 feet above the runway, the captain detected a "sinker" and then applied thrust to arrest the sink. The aircraft continued to sink in the flare and made a "very firm landing with no bounce." A review of the DFDR data revealed that a few seconds prior to touchdown, the airspeed decreased 6 knots below Vref, and the pitch attitude changed from 2.1 degrees to 5.3 degrees. A vertical acceleration of 2.032 Gs was recorded at an airspeed of 129.2 knots. Vref was calculated at 135 knots. The pilot reported applying thrust when the sink rate was detected; however, the DFDR data revealed that the engine EPR's did not increase until 7 seconds after touchdown. According to company procedures, "A stabilized approach means the airplane must be: at approach speed (VREF + additives); on the proper flight path at the proper sink rate, and at stabilized thrust. These requirements must be maintained throughout the rest of the approach for it to be considered a stabilized approach. If the stabilized approach requirements cannot be satisfied by the minimum stabilized approach heights or maintained throughout the rest of the approach, a go-around is required." The CVR recording consisted of four channels of audio information; however, none of the audio was pertinent to the incident investigation. The audio was consistent with the CVR being overwritten or recorded over by subsequent events. **This narrative was modified on May 22, 2007.**

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the captain's failure to follow existing company procedures for stabilized approach. **This report was modified on May 23, 2007.**

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/21/2006
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 912
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Denver
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395141N
Event Location Longitude 1044023W
Event Location Airport DENVER INTL
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 138
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20955
NTSB Notification Source Denver Airport Tower
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2007 11:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N574AA
NTSB Number DEN06IA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model DC-9-82
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 53151
Certified Max Gross Weight 149500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 139
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 43793
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wilmington Trust Company Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4333 Amon Carter Blvd.
Operator City Fort Worth
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 75067
Operator Code AALA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DFW
Departure City DALLAS-FORT WOR
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City Denver
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2006 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35L
Runway Length 12000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --