- Date
- May 13, 2005, 18:20 local (May 14, 2005, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Denver, CO
- Injuries
- 98 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N949DLMcDonnell Douglas MD-88
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Denver
- FAA report
- 20050513008879A
- Case key
- 61513
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the failure of the nose gear actuator resulted in penetration of the forward pressure bulkhead and a loss of pressurization.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after takeoff, the pilots heard a loud bang and the cabin lost pressurization. The pilots observed an unsafe nose gear indication. They placed the gear handle in the down position and got three green lights. The control tower confirmed that the landing gear were down when the aircraft performed a low pass. The flight made an uneventful landing at Denver. Post-accident examination by maintenance personnel revealed a hole in the forward pressure bulkhead and broken nose gear actuator. The nose landing gear actuator piston rod had worn threads, and a key locking washer in the gear assembly was sheared. The airline said that this was original equipment.
Factual narrative
On May 13, 2005, approximately 1820 mountain daylight time, a McDonnell-Douglas MD-88, N949DL, operated by Delta Air Lines as flight 664, was substantially damaged when the forward pressure bulkhead was penetrated by the nose landing gear actuator rod during initial climb near Denver, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121. The 2 pilots, 3 flight attendants, and 93 passengers were not injured. The flight originated at Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado, and was en route to Hartsfield International Airport (ATL), Atlanta, Georgia.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilots heard a loud bang and the cabin lost pressurization. The pilots observed an unsafe nose gear indication. They placed the gear handle in the down position and got three green lights. The control tower confirmed that the landing gear were down when the aircraft performed a low pass. The flight made an uneventful landing at Denver
Post-accident examination by maintenance personnel revealed a hole in the forward pressure bulkhead and broken nose gear actuator. The nose landing gear actuator piston rod had worn threads, and a key locking washer in the gear assembly was sheared. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 41,789.9 hours and 32,669 cycles. According to Delta Air Lines, there was no maintenance history on the actuator, and they believed it was original equipment when the aircraft was delivered in February 1990.
An FAA Airworthiness Directive required the material composition of the nose landing gear lock link be determined. Delta Air Lines provided maintenance records proving the aircraft was in compliance with this Directive.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N949DL
- Reported as
- McDonnell Douglas MD-88
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 49880
- Airframe hours
- 41,789
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219, 21,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanPratt & Whitney JT8D-219, 21,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- On FIle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 1, 2005
- Departed
- DEN · Denver, CO
- Destination
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DEN · Denver International
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,774 total · 681 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2004
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,101 total · 2,483 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 40° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- DEN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.