Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80249
Saturday, November 1, 2003 12:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the descent at FL 240, the captain asked the cabin crew to take their seats. At FL 210, the airplane encountered heavy to moderate turbulence. One flight attendant received minor injuries and another flight attendant received serious injuries. The airplane continued to Denver without further incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the in-flight encounter with heavy to moderate turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/1/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Denver
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80249
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402931N
Event Location Longitude 1051411W
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 --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) 4907
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 95
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15115
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Nov 1 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
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 N956UA
NTSB Number DEN04LA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 737-500
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 26704
Certified Max Gross Weight 122500
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 123
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 16 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1641
Airframe Hours 29534
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wilmington Trust Company
Aircraft Owner Street Address Rodney Square North 1100 North Market Street
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name UNITED AIR LINES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 66100
Operator City Chicago
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code UALA
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 BOI
Departure City Boise
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City Denver
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2004 12:01PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --