Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Francisco, California
Sunday, October 29, 1995 12:49 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On October 29, 1995, at 1239 PST, a United Airlines Boeing 737-500, N904UA, experienced an upset during a maintenence test flight while on an ILS approach to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The upset occurred when the flight crew was given a go-around by approach control and the captain selected the takeoff and go-around switch. The airplane pitched up to about 45 degrees nose up and the stick shaker activated. The pilots stated that they pushed the control column forward and both attempted to retrim the nose down but were not able to overcome the increase in pitch. The airplane stalled, rolled slightly, and the nose dropped. After the flightcrew recovered from the upset, the airplane made a normal landing at SFO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadvertant stall for undertermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1249
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN FRANCISCO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22733
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 2 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 30 2007 3:42PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N904UA
NTSB Number DCA96IA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model B-737-500
Aircraft Series Identifier B-737-500
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 66100
Operator City ELK GROVE
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SFO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2000 8:20PM
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 --