Serious incident Airbus A300B4-203 N72990, Wednesday 4 July 1990

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Date:	Wednesday 4 July 1990
Time:	11:31 LT
Type:	Airbus A300B4-203
Owner/operator:	Continental Airlines
Registration:	N72990
MSN:	259
Year of manufacture:	1983
Total airframe hrs:	19653 hours
Engine model:	GE CF6-50C2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 218
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Denver, CO - United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	(KDEN)
Destination airport:	Houston, TX (KIAH)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE CAPTAIN OF CONTINENTAL AIRLINES FLIGHT 1232, AN A300B4 AIRBUS, EN ROUTE FROM DENVER TO HOUSTON, ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AFTER A CATASROPHIC UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE REACHING V1. THE AIRPLANE WAS BROOUGHT TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. TWO TIRES BLEW OUT; SIX TIRES DEFLATED WHEN THE FUSE PLUGS MELTED. ONE BRAKE DID NOT ATTAIN MAXIMUM BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. A SEGMENT OF THE FIRST STAGE HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE ROTOR DISK SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION DISCLOSED A PREEXISTING FATIGUE CRACK.

Probable Cause: ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO TURBINE WHEEL FAILURE, INDUCED BY FATIGUE.

Accident investigation: