Boeing 757-222 incident near Denver, Colorado, June 10, 2009
On June 10, 2009 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Boeing 757-222, registered N570UA, suffered minor damage in an incident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 192 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
There was a malfunction of the electronic engine control (EEC) burner pressure (Pb) sensor that had an abnormally high indication that resulted in an excessive amount of fuel being pumped into the engine that was still at a sub-idle condition. Because the engine was still accelerating to idle, the limited airflow through the engine engine was insufficient for the amount of fuel and resulted in a tailpipe fire. The cause of the EEC's Pb sensor fault could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2009 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 192 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-222 · all 757-222s on the register
- Registration
- N570UA · registry record · serial 26678
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A United Airlines Boeing 757-222, N570UA, experienced a tailpipe fire on the No. 2, right, engine, a Pratt & Whitney PW2037(M) during engine start at the Denver International Airport. The airplane's right wing in back of the engine and adjacent fuselage suffered minor damage. Interrogation of the cockpit engine display showed several faults related to the electronic engine control (EEC) burner pressure (Pb) sensors. The interrogation of the cockpit engine display also showed the Pb indications were abnormally high for an engine start. Fuel is scheduled to the an engine as a function of Pb. So a high Pb indication would consequently result in a high fuel flow to the engine. Because the engine was just starting, the limited amount of airflow through the engine was insufficient for the excessive amount of fuel and resulted in a tailpipe fire. The EEC was removed from the engine and sent to the manufacturer for testing. The testing could not identify a cause for the malfunction and subsequent tailpipe fire.
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
What happened, in order
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel controlling system › Malfunction
The aircraft
- Seats: 192
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P & W PW2037(M) (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P & W PW2040 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: United Air Lines INC
The flight
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 186 |
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 N570UA 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.