BOEING 737-524 near Denver, CO — 2008-12-21
- Date
- 2008-12-21
- Location
- Denver, CO, USA
- Airport
- KDEN
- Aircraft
- BOEING 737-524
- Registration
- N18611
- Category
- Airplane
- Highest injury
- Serious
- Fatalities
- 0
Probable cause
The captain’s cessation of right rudder input, which was needed to maintain directional control of the airplane, about 4 seconds before the excursion, when the airplane encountered a strong and gusty crosswind that exceeded the captain’s training and experience. Contributing to the accident were the following factors: 1) an air traffic control system that did not require or facilitate the dissemination of key, available wind information to the air traffic controllers and pilots; and 2) inadequate crosswind training in the airline industry due to deficient simulator wind gust modeling.
NTSB narrative
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/A_Acc1.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-10/04. On December 20, 2008, about 1818 mountain standard time, Continental Airlines flight 1404, a Boeing 737-500, N18611, departed the left side of runway 34R during takeoff from Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado. A postcrash fire ensued. The captain and 5 of the 110 passengers were seriously injured; the first officer, 2 cabin crewmembers, and 38 passengers received minor injuries; and 1 cabin crewmember and 67 passengers (3 of whom were lap-held children) were uninjured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The scheduled, domestic passenger flight, operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, was departing DEN and was destined for George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Texas. At the time of the accident, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, with strong and gusty winds out of the west. The flight operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.
NTSB coding
Evidence available
- CVR
- ATC audio
- Video
- FDR / data
- ADS-B / radar
- Photos
- 91 docket documents
Docket documentsshowing 50 of 91
- ATC 3 - Addendum 1 - ATC Factual - ATC Training (dated 1/8/10)atc
- ATC 3 - Addendum 2, ATC Factual (dated 6/14/10)atc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 1 - DEN ATC Position Logsatc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 2 - Flight Progress Stripsatc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 3 - ATC Transcriptsatc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 4 - ATCT Daily Record of Facility Operation 12-20-08 to 12-21-08atc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 5 - Controller Statementsatc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 6 - Denver International Airport Noise Abatement Ruleatc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 7 - Denver International Airport Layout Planatc
- ATC 3 - Attachment 8 - DIA comment letter to ATC Factualatc
- ATC 3 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (see also addendums 1 and 2 dated 1/8/10 and 6/14/10)atc
- Meteorology 5 - Attachment 10 - COA1404 Dispatcher Responsesatc
- Reports from Parties to the Investigation - NATCAatc
- Cockpit Voice Recorder 12 - Factual Report of Group Chairmancvr
- Flight Data Recorder 10 - Attachment 1 (FDR tabular data)fdr
- Flight Data Recorder 10 - Specialist's Factual Reportfdr
- Aircraft Performance 13 - Airplane Performance Studyform
- Aircraft Performance 13 - Factual Report of Group Chairmanform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 1form
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 2, Interviews with 2006 RTO Crewform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 3, Back-drive simulation studyform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 4 and Corrections to the Factual Reportform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 5, Boeing responses to questions about B-737 crosswind guidelinesform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 6, Continental Airlines Prior B-737 Crosswind Takeoff Guidelinesform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 7, B-737 Actual Demonstrated Crosswind Values for Takeoff on a Dry Runwayform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Addendum 8, Data from 18 high crosswind takeoffs provided by Continental Airlinesform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 1 Interview Summariesform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 2 - Crew Statementsform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 3 Operational Study FINALform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 4 - Flight Papersform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 5 - CAL's 737 Flight Manual Excerptsform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 6 Operational Information Requested by NTSBform
- Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Factual Report of Group Chairmenform
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1form
- Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 - Seatsform
- Structures 7 - Attachment 1, Winglet Installation FAA Form 337form
- Meteorology 5 - Attachment 9 - Bunker Statementinterview
- Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigationinterview
- Survival Factors Factual Report - Attachment 2 - ARFF and Operations Statementsinterview
- Survival Factors Factual Report - Interview Summary: Passenger 16Einterview
- ICAO Notificationother
- Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment A, Certificates & OPS Specificationsother
- Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment B, Supplemental Type Certificatesother
- Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment C, Airworthiness Directivesother
- Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment D, Logbook Entriesother
- Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment E, Weight & Balanceother
- Maintenance Records 11 - Attachment G, Major Repairs & Alterationsother
- Meteorology 5 - Addendum 1other
- Meteorology 5 - Attachment 1 - ASOS Sensor Locationsother
- Meteorology 5 - Attachment 2 - ASOS Users Guideother
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