Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 incident near Denver, Colorado, October 12, 2003
On October 12, 2003 at about 1:17 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10, registered N375FE, suffered minor damage in an incident near Denver, Colorado (Denver International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the manufacturer's improper installation of the inboard slat drive mechanism's lower left hand anti-torque strut, which resulted in the axial migration of the rod-end bearing, the binding of the anti-torque strut, and the subsequent activation of the slat take-off configuration warning horn. Contributing factors include the aborted take-off, the initiation of normal brakes during a high energy stop, and the main landing gear fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2003 · about 1:17 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · all DC-10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N375FE · no longer on the register · serial 46613
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the captain, during the take-off roll, and shortly after the first officer called out the take-off decision speed (V1,158 knots), the take-off warning horn sounded. At that time, the captain initiated a Rejected Take-Off (RTO). Assured that a stop on the runway was possible, he elected not to apply maximum braking in "hopes that a more gentle brake application might avoid or mitigate any damage to the aircraft and lessen the heat and fire risk." During the RTO, DEN tower contacted the crew and reported smoke in the vicinity of the left main landing gear. Immediately thereafter, the tower reported that fire was coming from the same area. DEN tower initiated a call to alert aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment (ARFF) to the scene. The aircraft came to a stop, on the runway centerline, with approximately 1,800 feet of runway remaining. The crew completed the emergency quick evacuation checklist, and all seven persons aboard egressed via the L1 escape slide. The initial inspection of the airplane revealed that both of the nose landing gear tires, two main landing gear brake lines, all eight main landing gear brake assemblies, and all eight main landing gear tires were damaged during the RTO. Each damaged item was required to be replaced prior to towing the aircraft off the runway. The maintenance manager stated that the nose and main landing gear assemblies had "overheated," during the RTO and that each tire had deflated after the airplane came to rest, because "there was no indication that the tires had skidded." During an examination of the airplane, it was determined that the take-off warning horn was the result of a take-off configuration conflict between the inboard and outboard slats. An inspection of the inboard slat drive mechanism's lower left hand anti-torque strut, revealed that a rod-end bearing had migrated out of the rod-end, and that two washers were missing, which allowed the anti-torque strut to ride on the bolt that attaches the rod-end to the slat drive mechanism.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,298 hours in all; 162 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 2,615 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 20, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76,360 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 11, 2003; 1,067 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 440,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF6-6D (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF6-6D (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: General Electric CF6-6D (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 1:17 pm
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17R, 16,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 221° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 110 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 pm from KDEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N375FE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.