# NTSB DEN08LA055: de Havilland DHC-8-202, N444YV, Denver, CO, February 3, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 3, 2008, 06:59 local (13:59 UTC) - Place: Denver, CO - Coordinates: 39.861667, -104.673057 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8617&lon=-104.6731&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Clear air turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 20 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 67543 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67543/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA055 ## Probable cause The encounter with severe turbulence causing serious injury to the flight attendant. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Dehavilland DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=2809007), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Clear air turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362) (defining event); cases with it: [Dehavilland DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362/sequence.md?model=2809007), [All aircraft, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight was descending from 14,000 feet to 13,000 feet when it encountered severe turbulence. The FASTEN SEATBELTS sign was reportedly illuminated. The captain called the flight attendant on the intercom, but she did not answer. An emergency medical technician (EMT), who was a passenger on the flight, answered and reported the flight attendant was lying on the floor unconscious. The EMT and an off-duty United flight attendant tended to the injured flight attendant. The captain declared an emergency and the airplane landed at its destination. The flight attendant was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. ## Factual narrative On February 3, 2008, at 0659 mountain standard time, a de Havilland DHC-8-202, N444YV, operated by Mesa Airlines as flight 7106 and piloted by an airline transport certificated pilot, was not damaged when it encountered severe turbulence approximately 35 miles northwest of Denver, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. The flight attendant was seriously injured and the captain sustained minor injuries. There were no injuries to the first officer and 19 passengers aboard the flight. The flight originated at Casper, Wyoming, approximately 0545, and was en route to DEN. According to Mesa Airlines, the flight was descending on the RAMMS 5 STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route) and was encountering "light chop." The FASTEN SEATBELTS sign was illuminated. Approximately 5 miles inside RAMMS intersection, as the flight was descending from 14,000 feet to 13,000 feet, it encountered severe turbulence. The captain called the flight attendant on the intercom, but she did not answer. An emergency medical technician (EMT), who was a passenger on the flight, answered and reported the flight attendant was lying on the floor unconscious. The EMT and an off-duty United flight attendant tended to the injured flight attendant. The captain declared an emergency and the airplane landed at Denver. The flight attendant was transported to a hospital where she underwent surgery for several fractured vertebrae. It was later determined that the captain had suffered a slight concussion. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N444YV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N444YV), registered now, S/N 444 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-8-202 - Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-8-202](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-8-202) (registry code 2809007) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw123) (registry code 52129, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 444 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123D 2000 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Mesa Airlines, Inc. - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 1, 2008 - Departed: CPR, Casper, WY - Destination: DEN, Denver, CO - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: serious; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 3,700 total, 1,700 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days, 125 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 1, 2007; seat: right; flight hours: 1,052 total, 699 in this make and model, 287 as pilot in command, 232 in the last 90 days, 73 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 18 °F, dew point 7 °F - Altimeter: 29.64 inHg - Observed at: DEN, 35 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080203010389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080203010389A), Feb 3, 2008: Dhav DHC8202, Denver, CO, No damage. (-23) Mesa airlines flight 7106 was enroute from casper, WY to Denver, CO. They had occasional light chop at 25,000 feet so they left the seat belt sign on for… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.