Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pueblo, Colorado 81005
Saturday, April 5, 2003 20:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The captain stated that the airplane was climbing when they encountered light turbulence at 22,000 feet. One of the pilots called to the flight attendants and asked them to sit down. According to the captain, 30 to 60 seconds later the airplane encountered severe turbulence. One flight attendant fractured two metatarsal bones in her left foot, and another flight attendant received minor injuries. The airplane returned to the airport without further incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

in-flight encounter with turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2015
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Pueblo
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81005
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381720N
Event Location Longitude 1042948W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID PUB
Elevation of weather observation facility 4726
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
Density Altitude (feet) 4946
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 62
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14706
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2004 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, CO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N917FR
NTSB Number DEN03LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Airbus Industrie
Aircraft Model A319-111
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1890
Certified Max Gross Weight 154400
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 140
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18.6
Airframe Hours 590.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Frontier Airlines Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address Frontier Center One
Aircraft Owner City 7001 Tower Road
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80249
Operator is an individual? No
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 F3LA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DEN
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City Dallas
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 18 2003 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --