Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rapid City, South Dakota 57702
Friday, October 27, 1989 12:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH FLT LEVEL 280, THE FLT CREW DETECTED AN ODOR AND SOME SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND CABIN. THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT & HE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE ACFT AND REPLACED SEVERAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM TEMPERATURE SENSORS AND THE RECIRCULATING FAN ASSEMBLY. THESE ACTIONS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE RECIRCULATING FAN UNIT AND SEVERAL AIR DUCT TEMPERATURE LIMITING SENSORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAPID CITY
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57702
Event Date Year 1989
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RAP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3202
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 40
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5049
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40617
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N344UA
NTSB Number DEN90IA016
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-322
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-322
Aircraft Serial Number 24248
Certified Max Gross Weight 135000
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 149
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 324
Airframe Hours 324
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST CO TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQ NO, ATTN CORP TR ADM
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
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 BOX 66100
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code UALA
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1227
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FSD
Destination City SIOUX FALLS
Destination State SD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --