- Date
- August 7, 2003, 14:49 local (20:49 UTC)
- Place
- Greeley, CO
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 3 minor, 113 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N814MEMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-81
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030807019999A
- Case key
- 57671
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the inflight encounter with severe turbulence.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight at 33,000 feet, the aircraft encountered moderate to severe turbulence. The flight was deviating to the south of course to avoid weather. Upon breaking out of a cloud layer, the captain noted a cumulous cloud ahead that could not be avoided. Upon entering the cloud, they encountered severe turbulence, causing serious injury to 2 flight attendants and minor injuries to 3 passengers. Turbulence had not been forecasted. The seat belt sign had been illuminated for approximately 20 minutes.
Factual narrative
On August 7, 2003, at 1449 mountain daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81, N814ME, registered to and operated by Midwest Airlines, Inc., as flight 9, encountered severe turbulence 5 miles north of the Gill VORTAC, Greeley, Colorado. The 2 pilots, 1 flight attendant and 110 passengers were uninjured; however, 2 flight attendants were seriously injured and 3 passengers received minor injuries. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at San Francisco, California, at approximately 1255.
According to the captain, during cruise flight at 33,000 feet, the aircraft encountered moderate to severe turbulence. The flight was deviating to the south of course to avoid weather. Upon breaking out of a cloud layer, the captain noted a cumulous cloud ahead that could not be avoided. Upon entering the cloud, the airplane encountered severe turbulence. Turbulence had not been forecasted. The seat belt sign had been illuminated for approximately 20 minutes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N814ME
- Reported as
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 48010
- Airframe hours
- 45,993.52
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217C, 18,000 lbs thrust, turbo jetPratt & Whitney JT8D-219, 18,000 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Midwest Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 2, 2003 · 295.03 hours before
- Departed
- SFO · San Francisco, CA
- Destination
- MCI · Kansas City, KS
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- June 2, 2003
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 17,400 total · 11,900 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 270 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 28, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 9,000 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 0 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -13 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.