# NTSB DEN88IA043: Mcdonnell Douglas MD-80, N72830, Denver, CO, December 27, 1987

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: December 27, 1987, 10:04 local (17:04 UTC)
- Place: Denver, CO
- Coordinates: 39.759796, -104.920684 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7598&lon=-104.9207&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 136 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 10, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17391
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN88IA043
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17391/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88IA043

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - visual/aural perception, pilot in command (cause)
  - object - sign

## Analysis

DURING LANDING ROLL THE ACFT STRUCK A TAXIWAY MARKER. VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED BY RVR TO BE 2200. ACTUAL VISIBILITY WAS NEAR ZERO DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. PLT STATED HE DID NOT LOSE CNTRL BUT FINITE CNTRL NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO LACK OF VISIBILITY AND CROSS WINDS OF 20 GUSTING TO 30 KTS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N72830](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N72830-2005-06-24), registration cancelled 2005-06-24, S/N 49490, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-80
- Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82)](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-82-md-82) (registry code 3022082) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 49490
- Engines: P&W JT8D-217/A 20000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Continental Airlines, Inc., doing business as Continental Airlines
- Registered owner: Continental Airlines, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: ATL, ATLANTA, GA
- Destination: DEN, DENVER, CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: DEN, Stapleton, runway 35R, 12,000 × 200 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 23,000 total, 3,200 in this make and model, 13,000 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 350° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
- Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: DEN, 1 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 19871227081359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871227081359A), Dec 27, 1987: Doug DC982, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. Collided with a taxiway marker on landing rollout. Due to blowing snow, visibility was zero.

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.

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