Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near Goshen, Indiana
Thursday, May 27, 1982 9:27 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED UNFORECAST SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULANCE (CAT) WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL350 NEAR GOSHEN, IN. AS A RESULT OF THE ENCOUNTER, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WHICH WAS ARRESTED AT 31,500 FEET. A TOTAL OF SEVENTEEN PASSENGERS AND FIVE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND AIRWORTHY. THE ONLY WARNING THAT THE CREW HAD AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CAT WAS A PIREP, PASSED ON BY THE CENTER CONTROLLER, THAT REPORTED MODERATE OR LESS TURBULANCE IN THE AREA. AFTER THE ENCOUNTER THE FLIGHT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO DENVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/27/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 927
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City NEAR GOSHEN
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 35000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 17
Injury Total None 129
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 17
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5041
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8088U
NTSB Number DEN82IA098
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-8-61
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-61
Aircraft Serial Number 45978
Certified Max Gross Weight 350000
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 259
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address O'HARE INT'L/P.O. BOX
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address O'HARE INT'L/P.O. BOX
Operator City CHICAGO
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 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 EWR
Departure City NEWARK
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 745
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
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 --