- Date
- November 1, 2003, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Denver, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 95 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N956UABoeing 737-500
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031101027999A
- Case key
- 58285
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 in-flight encounter with heavy to moderate 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 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.
Factual narrative
On November 1, 2003, at approximately 1215 mountain standard time, a Boeing 737-500, N956UA, operated by United Airlines as flight 1232, encountered turbulence while on approach to Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado. The airline transport captain and airline transport first-officer, 1 flight attendant, and 92 passengers were not injured; however, 1 flight attendant was seriously injured and 1 flight attendant received minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight from Boise, Idaho, to Denver, Colorado, departed at 1045.
At flight level (FL) 310, air traffic control advised the captain that light to moderate turbulence existed between FL170 and FL 200. The flight crew directed the passengers to take their seats and fasten their seatbelts. During the descent, at FL 240, the captain asked the cabin crew to take their seats. At FL 210, the flight encountered "heavy to moderate turbulence with two rapid up-down vertical-G cycles." One flight attendant received minor injuries and another flight attendant received a fractured ankle. The flight continued to Denver without further incident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N956UA
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-500
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26704
- Airframe hours
- 29,534
- Engines
- CFM International CFM56-3-B1, 20,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM International CFM56-3-B1, 20,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Wilmington Trust Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 16, 2003 · 1,641 hours before
- Departed
- BOI · Boise, ID
- Destination
- DEN · Denver, CO
- 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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,751 total · 1,838 in this make and model · 246 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,655 total · 22 in this make and model · 68 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- DEN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N956UA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.