Denver International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80249
Wednesday, October 11, 2006 18:27 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

When the landing gear was extended on final approach, the nose gear UNSAFE light illuminated. A low fly-by was made, and control tower personnel confirmed that the nose gear appeared to be retracted. After consulting with the company's maintenance department, unsuccessful attempts were made to lower the nose gear, and a nose gear-up landing was made. Postaccident examination revealed that the nose landing gear center spray deflector had fractured and rotated, preventing gear extension. The spray deflector is designed to deflect water and other runway material kicked up by the nose wheel away from the rear-mounted engines which could cause flameouts and engine damage. About one-third of the spray deflector was broken off. Laboratory examination of the deflector revealed the fracture was typical of overstress. The nose gear doors were scraped, and the aluminum skin just aft of the nose wheel well was scraped through, exposing 5 longerons and 6 stringers, compromising the pressure vessel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A fractured nose gear assembly spray deflector that blocked the nose gear from extending during landing, and resulted in an intentional nose gear up landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/2006
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1827
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Denver
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395142N
Event Location Longitude 1044023W
Event Location Airport Denver International Airport
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 1837 Mountain Daylight 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 MDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
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 155
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21298
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Northwest Mountain Region
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2007 2:54PM
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 N906DA
NTSB Number DEN07FA008
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-90-30
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 53386
Certified Max Gross Weight 156000
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 157
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 31747
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1775 Aviation Blvd., Hartsfield Int'l Airport
Aircraft Owner City Atanta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? No
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 DALA
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 SLC
Departure City Salt Lake City
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1703
Departure Time Zone MDT
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
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 7 2007 12:49PM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16R
Runway Length 16000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --