Mcdonnell Douglas MD-90-30 accident near Denver, Colorado, October 12, 2006
On October 12, 2006, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-90-30, registered N906DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 155 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A fractured nose gear assembly spray deflector that blocked the nose gear from extending during landing, and resulted in an intentional nose gear up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2006
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 155 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-90-30
- Registration
- N906DA · no longer on the register · serial 53386
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the landing gear was extended on final approach, the nose gear UNSAFE light illuminated. A low fly-by was made, and control tower personnel confirmed that the nose gear appeared to be retracted. After consulting with the company's maintenance department, unsuccessful attempts were made to lower the nose gear, and a nose gear-up landing was made. Postaccident examination revealed that the nose landing gear center spray deflector had fractured and rotated, preventing gear extension. The spray deflector is designed to deflect water and other runway material kicked up by the nose wheel away from the rear-mounted engines which could cause flameouts and engine damage. About one-third of the spray deflector was broken off. Laboratory examination of the deflector revealed the fracture was typical of overstress. The nose gear doors were scraped, and the aluminum skin just aft of the nose wheel well was scraped through, exposing 5 longerons and 6 stringers, compromising the pressure vessel.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,300 hours in all; 165 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 191 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,747 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 156,000 lb
- Seats: 157
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: International Aero Engines V2528-D5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 11:03 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16R, 16,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 150 |
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.