Aviation Crash Map

Boeing 737-300 N343UA

3 January 1992 · Denver, Colorado, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 3 January 1992 at about 20:55 local time, a Boeing 737-300 registered N343UA, operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident near Denver, Colorado, United States. 127 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 20:55
Classification
Incident
Location
Denver, Colorado, United States
Coordinates
39.7608, -104.9200
Aircraft
Boeing 737-300
Registration
N343UA
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
United Airlines
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Las Vegas
Aircraft damage
Minor
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN92IA025

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
127 0 0 0 127

Probable cause

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN A MAIN WIRE BUNDLE DUE TO CHAFING OF THE BUNDLE ON AIRFRAME STRUCTURAL MEMBERS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING CLIMB, THE CREW NOTED AN ELECTRICAL ARCING SOUND AND SLIGHT ELECTRICAL-TYPE BURNING ODOR WHILE PASSING THROUGH FLIGHT LEVEL 180. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WERE COMPLIED WITH AND THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE SOLVED. THE CLIMB WAS CONTINUED, AND WHILE PASSING THROUGH FLIGHT LEVEL 330 A LOUD ARCING SOUND WAS AGAIN HEARD ACCOMPANIED BY FLAMES FROM THE FLIGHT DECK AFT OVERHEAD PANEL. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND THE FLIGHT RETURNED TO DENVER AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EXAMINATION DISCLOSED A SHORT IN A WIRE BUNDLE. THE BUNDLE WAS NOT SHIELDED OR ANCHORED AS THE OTHER MAJOR BUNDLE IN THE COMPARTMENT. THE SHORT WAS DUE TO THE BUNDLE CHAFING ON THE FLIGHT DECK ENTRY DOOR FRAME. IN ADDITION, TESTING REVEALED THAT THE WIRE GAUGE USED IN PART OF THIS APPLICATION WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOAD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 737 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
12 Oct 1992 Boeing 737-300
N586US
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
no coordinates
Usair No injuries -
27 Aug 1992 Boeing 737-200
N206AU
Miami, Florida, United States Carnival Airlines Serious injuries -
8 Dec 1992 Boeing 737-300LR
N516AU
Flushing, New York, United States Usair Fatal -
15 May 1992 Boeing 737-200
N67SW
Palacios, Texas, United States Southwest Airlines Co. Serious injuries -
7 Jun 1992 Boeing 737-204
HP120
Tucuti, Panama
no coordinates
Copa Airlines Unknown -
3 Aug 1992 Boeing 737-300
N357SW
Springfield, Missouri, United States
no coordinates
Southwest Airlines, Inc. Serious injuries -

All 1,317 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
12 Apr 1992 Cessna 310-L
N331BX
Hugo, Colorado, United States
no coordinates
Bell, Anthony H. No injuries -
4 May 1992 Boeing 757-222
N530UA
Denver, Colorado, United States United Airlines Fatal 1
8 Jul 1992 Piper PA-34-200T
N3030K
Lamar, Colorado, United States Lyddon Flying Service No injuries -
21 Jul 1992 Embraer EMB-120 RT
N221YV
Denver, Colorado, United States Mesa Airlines, Inc. No injuries -
4 Jan 1992 Cessna 152
N774WS
Falcon, Colorado, United States Patrick Clayton No injuries -
16 Jan 1992 Cessna 172P
N65513
Englewood, Colorado, United States P.c. Flyers, Inc. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States