Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80010
Friday, December 7, 1984 11:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE FROM LAS VEGAS, NV TO MINNEAPOLIS, MN AT FL330, THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN SMOOTH AIR FOR AT LEAST 30 MIN WHEN CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE (CAT) WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE FLT CREW TURNED ON THE 'FASTEN SEAT BELT' SIGN. A FLT ATTENDANT, ATTEMPTING TO BUCKLE INTO A REAR CABIN FOLDING SEAT, WAS THROWN FROM THE SEAT & SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY. THE PLT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL NON-SCHEDULED LANDING AT DENVER, CO. THERE WAS NO FORCAST FOR CAT AT FL330, ALTHO 'CHOP' HAD BEEN REPORTED AT LOWER ALTITUDES. LATER, THE AIRCREWS OF 2 OTHER ACFT REPORTED MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY & A 30 TO 60 KT LOSS OF AIRSPEED IN THAT VICINITY. THE NATIONAL WX SERVICE ISSUED AN ADVISORY, EFFECTIVE AT 1110 TO 1300 MST, TO ADVISE PLTS OF LOCALLY SEVERE TURBULENCE WITH MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY BETWEEN FL310 & FL450 DUE TO STRONG WESTERLY WINDS ALOFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/7/1984
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80010
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5300
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 16000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total None 103
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2958
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26956
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N942
NTSB Number DEN85FA040
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 DC-9-30
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-30
Aircraft Serial Number 920
Certified Max Gross Weight 127000
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 125
Number of Engines 2
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 REPUBLIC AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7500 AIRLINE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MINNEAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55450
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 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 No
Departure Airport Code LAS
Departure City LAS VEGAS
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSP
Destination City MINNEAPOLIS
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --