Denver International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80249
Saturday, June 12, 2010 16:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

When the crew retracted the landing gear after takeoff, they heard a loud "bang." When they lowered the gear, all three landing gear annunciator lights indicated SAFE, but the left gear light also indicated IN TRANSIT. After consulting with their maintenance department, the crew landed and, during rollout, the left main gear collapsed. Postaccident examination revealed the drag leg assembly was fractured. When the gear collapsed, a portion of the wing spar was torn out. Metallurgical examination revealed that both lugs that attach to the landing gear actuator and the rig plate were fractured and the drag leg was bent. The right-hand lug contained a fatigue crack that progressed to an overload failure. The other lug fractured completely through overload. The damage was pre-existent to that cracking, and served as a stress concentrator leading to the initiation of a fatigue crack. Spectrographic analysis of the upper drag leg arm showed that it met specified chemical composition requirements. At time of accident the aircraft had operated about 82.9 hours and 95 cycles since a detailed inspection of the landing gear was accomplished on May 28, 2010; no discrepancies related to the lug were noted at that time.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pre-existent damage of the right-hand landing gear actuator attachment lug which led to fatigue cracking and eventual overload failure resulting in a collapsed gear upon landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Denver
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395142N
Event Location Longitude 1044023W
Event Location Airport Denver International
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
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 --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KDEN 122153Z 04008KT 6SM BR SCT008 BKN014 OV
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27534
NTSB Notification Source FAA ANM ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 21 2010 5:02PM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N195GL
NTSB Number CEN10LA315
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 1900D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number UE-195
Certified Max Gross Weight 17120
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 19
Total number of seats on the aircraft 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1022 Airport Pkwy.
Aircraft Owner City Cheyenne
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82001-1551
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1022 Airport Pkwy.
Operator City Cheyenne
Operator State WY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 82001-1551
Operator Code GLBA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DEN
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYS
Destination City Cheyenne
Destination State WY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 15 2010 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record scoa
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35R
Runway Length 12000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --