McDonnell Douglas MD-82 N83872

Summary

On 20 April 1995 at about 03:14 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 registered N83872, operated by Continental Airlines, Inc., was involved in an accident near Utopia, Texas, United States. 58 people were on board and one was seriously injured. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

20 April 1995 at 03:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Utopia, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.6094, -99.5290

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas MD-82

Registration

N83872

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Continental Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Denver → Houston

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW95LA176

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT WAS RESTRICTED TO FL250 DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE PRESSURIZATION COMPONENT. AIRMET 13C WAS IN EFFECT FOR A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH TOPS ABOVE FL450 EXTENDING ALONG AND TO THE NORTH OF THE FLIGHT ROUTE. THE FLIGHT DEVIATED TO THE SOUTH OF THE THUNDERSTORMS; HOWEVER, MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED 3 TIMES IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES WITH EACH ENCOUNTER LASTING ABOUT 5 TO 10 SECONDS. THE CREW REPORTED THE ENCOUNTER AS CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN STATED 'CLEAR OF CLOUDS, NO TURBULENCE REPORTED BY ATC, NOTHING PAINTED ON OUR, OR ATC RADAR ON OUR FLIGHTPATH, CLEARING NEAREST CELL BY ABOUT 35-40 MILES.' ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS IN THE COCKPIT, REPORTED SITTING ON THE COCKPIT FLOOR AND HOLDING ON TO ARM RESTS DURING THE TURBULENCE. AFTER DEPARTING THE COCKPIT, SHE RESPONDED TO A CALL FROM THE SERIOUSLY INJURED FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.