Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pueblo, Colorado 81001
Tuesady, April 15, 2008 18:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 15, 2008, at about 1830 mountain daylight time, a United Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N497UA, reportedly experienced severe turbulence approximately 50 nautical miles west of Pueblo, Colorado, during cruise at FL360, and returned to Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado. Of the 118 passengers and 6 crewmembers onboard, 4 flight attendants and 3 passengers received minor injuries. The flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121, and was enroute from DEN to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/15/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Pueblo
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81001
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381721N
Event Location Longitude 1042947W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 71
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 24
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 31
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.23
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 7
Injury Total None 117
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source United
NTSB Notification Date Apr 17 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 24 2008 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record SCHD
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA/UAL CMO, Denver, Colorado, 80249

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N497UA
NTSB Number DCA08IA051
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 --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Airbus Industrie
Aircraft Model A320-200
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES INC
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DEN
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1812
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHX
Destination City Phoenix
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 24 2008 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record SCHD
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --