Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morton, Wyoming 82522
Friday, July 16, 1982 12:02 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE FLYING IN GOOD WX OVER CENTRAL WYOMING, THE CAPTAIN NOTED A GENTLE WAVE MOTION THAT CAUSED THE AUTOTHROTTLES TO REACT. THEREFORE, HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOTHROTTLES AND AUTOPILOT. THE ACFT HAD LOST 250 FT DRG THE WAVE MOTION, SO THE CAPTAIN TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN & BEGAN A CLIMB BACK TO 39,000 FT. ABOUT 30 SEC LATER (APRX 4 MIN AFT THE INITIAL WAVE ACTION), THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A SHARP JOLT. THE VERT "G" FORCES WENT FROM MINUS .6 TO POSITIVE 1.6 G IN APRX 1.25 SEC. THE AIR WAS SMOOTH AFTER THE JOLT & NO AFCT SYS WAS AFFECTED. A DOCTOR TREATED THE INJURED WHILE THE FLT CONTINUED TO DESTINATION. A WX SUMMARY INDICATED THAT THE ACFT HAD ENCOUNTERED A MOUNTAIN WAVE AND/OR TURBULENCE WINDSHEAR NEAR THE TROPOPAUSE. INDICATIONS NORMALLY USED TO FORECAST WAVES WERE NOT PRESENT UNTIL THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1202
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MORTON
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82522
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) --
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 19
Injury Total None 142
Injury Total Serious 7
Injury Total All 26
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3395
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 N1815U
NTSB Number LAX82AA259
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-10-10
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-10
Aircraft Serial Number 46614
Certified Max Gross Weight 440000
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 254
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 553
Airframe Hours 28360
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 66100
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 66100
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BOS
Departure City BOSTON
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1006
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SFO
Destination City SAN FRANCISCO
Destination State CA
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 --