Beech 1900D accident near Denver, Colorado, May 2, 1996
On May 2, 1996 at about 10:24 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N154ZV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Denver International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 11 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fatigue failure of the right main landing gear hydraulic actuator rod at the spherical bearing due to a lack of lubrication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1996 · about 10:24 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 11 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N154ZV · no longer on the register · serial UE-154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the right main landing gear failed to retract. After review of procedures, the pilots elected to continue to their destination. On arrival, when the landing gear was selected to the down position, all landing gear indicated down and locked and the right main was visually verified by the captain. During landing roll, when passing through approximately 60 knots, the right main landing gear indication gave an intermittent unsafe indication. The pilot flying added power to go-around and the right main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft rolled/slid to a stop on the runway and an uneventful evacuation was conducted. Examination of the right main landing gear assembly provided evidence that the extension/retraction actuator had failed at the spherical bearing. Metallurgical examination found the spherical bearing had failed in fatigue and evidenced by wear and binding in certain positions. It was dry and there was no evidence of lubrication. A review of maintenance procedures and records for the aircraft revealed that all maintenance and inspections had been performed in accordance with applicable directives.
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: 5,888 hours in all; 3,490 in this make and model; 199 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 3,538 as pilot in command; 584 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,442 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 1996; 416 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,900 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesa Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GUC Gunnison CO at 9:40 pm
- Destination: DEN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:25 pm from DEN, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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 N154ZV 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.