Beech 1900D accident near Denver, Colorado, June 12, 2010
On June 12, 2010 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N195GL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Denver, Colorado (Denver International airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2010 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N195GL · registry record · serial UE-195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft structural failure during initial climb
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear actuator › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 325 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,650 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 495 as pilot in command; 220 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 17,120 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd.
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 10:00 pm
- Destination: CYS Cheyenne WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35R, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:34 pm from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.