Beech 1900D accident near Telluride, Colorado, September 1, 2013
On September 1, 2013 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N169GL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Telluride, Colorado (Telluride Rgnl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 12 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the left main landing gear actuator internal lock to engage in the locked position for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2013 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Telluride, Colorado · Telluride Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 12 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N169GL · registry record · serial UE-169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During approach to landing the crew selected landing gear down and observed a problem with the left main landing gear (MLG). The landing gear hydraulic motor pump automatically shut down when the landing gear was not locked down after 16 seconds and an internal mechanical lock intended to hold the landing gear actuator in the selected position, did not engage. The crew carried out the abnormal procedures checklist and attempted to extend the left MLG using the manual landing gear extension procedures, but was unsuccessful. The crew then prepared for landing in accordance with the procedures contained in the quick reference handbook for landing with main gear up or unsafe. As the airplane slowed through about 80 knots on the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. Post-accident inspection indicated hydraulic fluid had leaked from a hole, which was normally plugged with a Lee plug, on the left main actuator between the primary and secondary extend ports. The Lee plug was missing and was not found. Examination of the actuator and of the hydraulic fluid quantity remaining indicated the Lee plug was in place during the in-flight attempts to extend the landing gear. The airplane landed with the gear not locked down and as the landing gear collapsed, the piston in the actuator forced hydraulic fluid back through the system increasing the landing gear actuator internal hydraulic pressure sufficiently to force the Lee plug out of position. The remaining fluid in the actuator leaked out of the hole until system pressure decreased to ambient pressure.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear actuator › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 4,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,576 hours in all; 1,350 in this make and model; 261 in the last 90 days; 99 in the last 30 days; 1,011 as pilot in command; 963 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 23, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35,184 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 1, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 17,120 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Aviation LTD
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 5:40 pm
- Destination: TEX Telluride CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 7,111 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KTEX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.