- Date
- October 30, 1991, 10:03 local (17:03 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Spring, CO
- Injuries
- 57 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1808UDouglas DC-10-10
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911030056449I
- Case key
- 18165
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The captain's inadequate supervision and the copilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors were: the crosswind and snow/ice on the runway.
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
As the aircraft approached 50 KIAS on the takeoff roll, it drifted right. The first officer, who was making the takeoff, corrected with left rudder. Right drift became more pronounced and hard left rudder was used. The captain took over, retarded all three throttles, then attempted to regain control by using asymmetrical thrust. When this failed, the throttles were retarded and reverse thrust applied. Post incident inspection disclosed no apparent damage. The next morning, a different crew rejected the takeoff when the no. 3 engine failed. Post incident disassembly and inspection of the engine disclosed metal in the tailpipe, sand and mud in the compressor section, and a 13th stage and two 14th stage compressor blades broken off, causing extensive damage to both the low and high pressure turbines.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1808U
- Reported as
- Douglas DC-10-10
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46605
- Engine
- GE CF6-6, 39,300 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Airlines
- Registered owner
- United Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- DEN · Denver, CO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- COS · Colorado Springs Municipa, runway 17, 11,021 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17,727 total · 289 in this make and model · 161 in the last 90 days · 57 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 13 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft
- Temperature
- 12 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.