Aviation Crash Map

Boeing 727-247 N296WA

24 May 1989 · Denver, Colorado, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 24 May 1989 at about 14:05 local time, a Boeing 727-247 registered N296WA, operated by Delta Air Lines, was involved in an incident near Denver, Colorado, United States. 121 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 14:05
Classification
Incident
Location
Denver, Colorado, United States
Nearest airport
Stapelton Int'l (KDEN)
Coordinates
39.7598, -104.9203
Aircraft
Boeing 727-247
Registration
N296WA
Category
Airplane
Engines
3
Operator
Delta Air Lines
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Atlanta
Aircraft damage
Minor
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN89IA124

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
121 0 0 0 121

Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR FORWARD TRUNNION BEARING SUPPORT FITTING DUE TO A CRACK INITIATING AT THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE BORE AND PROPAGATING BY INTERGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION INTO THE BORE SURFACE THAT RESULTED IN AN EVENTUAL DUCTILE FRACTURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLED FORWARD SLIGHTLY TO BRING THE NOSEWHEEL OFF THE CHOCKS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. INSPECTION DISCLOSED A FRACTURE OF THE FORWARD TRUNNION BEARING SUPPORT FITTING (P/N 65-16206-11) AND HEAVY SURFACE CORROSION. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION DISCLOSED EXTENSIVE INTERGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION, AND A CRACK THAT HAD DEVELOPED 0.1 INCHES INBOARD FROM THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE BORE, WHICH HAD PROPAGATED APPROXIMATELY 2.1 INCHES AFT INTO THE BORE SURFACE. THE FINAL FRACTURE RESULTED FROM DUCTILE SEPARATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 727 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Aug 1989 Boeing 727-224
N88709
Los Angeles, California, United States
no coordinates
Continental Airlines No injuries -
15 Dec 1989 Boeing 727
N64339
Ormond Beach, Florida, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
23 May 1989 Boeing 727-100
N97891
Guantanamo
no coordinates
Gulf Air Transport No injuries -
27 Dec 1989 Boeing 727-225B
N822EA
Miami, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Eastern Air Lines, Inc Fatal 1
14 Oct 1989 Boeing 727-232
N530DA
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States - Minor injuries -
9 Dec 1989 Boeing 727-31
N727PJ
Newark, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 512 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 Jan 1989 Cessna 172
N96319
Longmont, Colorado, United States Denver Air Center No injuries -
6 Jan 1989 Piper PA-31T
N82290
Craig, Colorado, United States Cummins Power Inc No injuries -
18 Jan 1989 Beechcraft V35B
N1721W
Broomfield, Colorado, United States - Minor injuries -
28 Jan 1989 Cessna P210N
N4737P
Durango, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
8 Feb 1989 Piper PA-18-150
N4355Z
Boulder, Colorado, United States Boulder Flying Service No injuries -
9 Feb 1989 Cessna 152
N69117
Gill, Colorado, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States