Dornier 328-100 accident near Denver, Colorado, March 20, 2000
On March 20, 2000 at about 2:31 pm local time, a Dornier 328-100, registered N329MX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Denver International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 24 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
uncommanded retraction of the nose and right main landing gears during landing roll for reasons undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2000 · about 2:31 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 24 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier 328-100 · all 328-100s on the register
- Registration
- N329MX · registry record · serial 3049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the approach, the flight crew confirmed the landing gear was down and locked. The first officer landed the airplane on runway 35L in a slight left crosswind. When the airplane touched down, the landing gear warning horn sounded. The right main and nose landing gears retracted, and the airplane slid to a halt on the right side of the runway. According to the flight data recorder, the landing gear was extended and indicated down and locked (source data is the position of the nose landing gear). The nose landing gear became "unlocked" (i.e., unsafe) 2 seconds after the radio altitude reached 0 feet. Hydraulic pressure dropped to approximately 2,700 psi momentarily, then returned to normal (about 3,000 psi). The following items were subjected to various tests and no anomalies were noted: proximity switch electronics unit (PSEU), right main landing gear harness and proximity switches, landing gear selector valve, hydraulic pressure sensing valve, landing gear control assembly. Hydraulic fluid samples drawn from the filter pack, right main landing gear down lock assist actuator, and the return line for the landing gear selector valve were analyzed. No significant anomalies were noted. Partial systemic wiring tests were unremarkable.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,187 hours in all; 1,592 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,596 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 30,843 lb
- Seats: 35
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW119C (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Wisconsin, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BIS Bismarck ND at 12:25 pm
- Destination: DEN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35L, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 19 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:31 pm from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 21 |
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.