Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Utopia, Texas 78884
Wednesday, April 19, 1995 22:14 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS RESTRICTED TO FL250 DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE PRESSURIZATION COMPONENT. AIRMET 13C WAS IN EFFECT FOR A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH TOPS ABOVE FL450 EXTENDING ALONG AND TO THE NORTH OF THE FLIGHT ROUTE. THE FLIGHT DEVIATED TO THE SOUTH OF THE THUNDERSTORMS; HOWEVER, MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED 3 TIMES IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES WITH EACH ENCOUNTER LASTING ABOUT 5 TO 10 SECONDS. THE CREW REPORTED THE ENCOUNTER AS CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN STATED 'CLEAR OF CLOUDS, NO TURBULENCE REPORTED BY ATC, NOTHING PAINTED ON OUR, OR ATC RADAR ON OUR FLIGHTPATH, CLEARING NEAREST CELL BY ABOUT 35-40 MILES.' ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS IN THE COCKPIT, REPORTED SITTING ON THE COCKPIT FLOOR AND HOLDING ON TO ARM RESTS DURING THE TURBULENCE. AFTER DEPARTING THE COCKPIT, SHE RESPONDED TO A CALL FROM THE SERIOUSLY INJURED FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2214
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City UTOPIA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78884
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 57
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 635
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 19 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2341
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83872
NTSB Number FTW95LA176
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model MD-82
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-82
Aircraft Serial Number 49120
Certified Max Gross Weight 149500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 145
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 13 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 39177
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST SECURITY BANK OF UTAH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 SOUTH MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77019
Operator Code CALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DEN
Departure City DENVER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAH
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --