Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82 accident near Denver, Colorado, April 27, 1993
On April 27, 1993 at about 11:28 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82, registered N72822, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Stapleton International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people had minor injuries; 119 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A VIBRATION IN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, WHICH RESULTED IN COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. A FACTOR WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ENSURE DEPLOYMENT OF THE GROUND SPOILERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1993 · about 11:28 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Stapleton International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 119 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82 · all DC-9-82s on the register
- Registration
- N72822 · no longer on the register · serial 49482
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING TOUCHDOWN A LANDING GEAR VIBRATION OCCURRED WHICH LED TO A COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AT 117 KNOTS. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY AS IT ENTERED THE OVERRUN. DURING THE ENSUING EMERGENCY EVACUATION TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. EXAMINATION OF APPLICABLE COMPONENTS DID NOT PROVIDE A SPECIFIC CAUSE FOR THE VIBRATION THAT LED TO THE COLLAPSE. THREADS ON THE RIGHT GEAR APEX BOLT FAILED RESULTING IN THE GEAR'S 90 DEGREE ROTATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT OVERLOAD COLLAPSE. THE GROUND SPOILERS DID NOT ACTIVATE AND THE CREW STATED THAT THEY HAD ARMED AUTO SPOILERS. THE MANUFACTURER REPORTED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF THREE SIMILAR NON-FLIGHT TEST OCCURRENCES. IN ALL THREE EVENTS THE GROUND SPOILERS DID NOT EXTEND.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 5,600 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,572 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 1993; 252 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 150
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-217 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26R, 8,599 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:31 pm from DEN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 113 |
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 N72822 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.