Boeing 737-322 N396UA

Summary

On 8 January 1991 at about 01:15 local time, a Boeing 737-322 registered N396UA, operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident near Kansas City, Missouri, United States. 36 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 January 1991 at 01:15

Classification

Incident

Location

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Kansas City Int'l (MCI)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Boeing 737-322

Registration

N396UA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

United Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Denver

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI91IA062

Nobody was injured.

IMPROPER USE OF THE THROTTLES, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE FIRST OFFICER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT ARE: ICE ON THE RUNWAY, LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE AIRCRAFT AND OPERATION BY THE FIRST OFFICER, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CAPTAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FIRST OFFICER HAD CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR TAKEOFF ON ICE COVERED RUNWAY. AFTER THE THROTTLES WERE ADVANCED FOR TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED STRAIGHT AHEAD FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS, THEN BEGAN TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT. THE CAPTAIN TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT COULD NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, OR STOP THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE MUD AND SNOW. AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION WAS CONDUCTED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ON APPLICATION OF POWER FOR TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD A 10% GREATER N1 THAN THE LEFT ENGINE. THE FIRST OFFICER WAS ON HIS INITIAL OPERATING EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.