Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 accident near Denver, Colorado, September 12, 1988
On September 12, 1988 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10, registered N1830U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Stapleton Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 206 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1988 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Stapleton Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 206 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · all DC-10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N1830U · no longer on the register · serial 46629
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE CAPT WAS DEPLOYING REVERSERS DRG LNDG, #2 & #3 REVERSERS UNLOCKED & DEPLOYED (GREEN LGT COND), BUT #1 REVERSER WAS BINDING & ONLY MOVED TO THE UNLOCKED PSN (AMBER LGT COND). CAPT WAS NOT WARNED OF THIS COND, THOUGH 2ND OFFICER SHOULD HAVE MONITORED LGTS. CAPT SAID HE RCHD TO CHECK #1 LEVER. AT ABT THAT TIME, ACFT YAWED RGT. DESPITE IMT ACTION BYTHE CAPT, DRCTNL CTL OF ACFT WAS LOST DUE TO YAWING CAUSED BY INOP THRUST REVERSER. ACFT CONTD OFF RWY, CROSSED 2 TWYS &NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AFTER STOPPING, EVACUATION WAS ORDERED. EVACUATION SLIDES DEPLOYED NMLY, BUT WITH THE ACFT ON ITS NOSE, USE OF SLIDES AT DOORS 4L & 4R WAS DISCONTINUED DUE TO EXCESSIVE VERTICAL ANGLE OF SLIDES. INV REVEALED THAT AFTERTCHDWN, #1 ENG ACCELERATED WITH FWD THRUST AS #2 & #3 ENGS PROVIDED REVERSE THRUST. AT ABT THE SAME TIME, THE ACFT'S NOSE LIFTED OFF THE RWY TO A 4 DEG ATTITUDE & THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE THROTTLE QUADRANT REVEALED THE S1-847 SW WAS CURLED/TWISTED & 2 SUPPORT SHAFTS (HOLDING THE SWS) WERE BENT CAUSING INTMT OPN OF THE #1 REVERSER.
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: 22,500 hours in all; 233 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37,265 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 19, 1988; 1,130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 430,000 lb
- Seats: 257
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-6D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL at 5:45 pm
- Destination: DEN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26L, 10,004 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 10 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 196 |
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.