Boeing 737 accident near Salisbury, Maryland, June 26, 1988
On June 26, 1988 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered N9040U, was involved in an accident near Salisbury, Maryland. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 106 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1988 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Salisbury, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 106 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N9040U · no longer on the register · serial 19078
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE FLT, THE CREW RECEIVED A SEVERE WX WARNING CONCERNING WX ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLT. THE CAPTAIN INFORMED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE PASSENGER SERVICE COMPLETED EARLY AND TO BE SEATED BEFORE THE DESCENT. BEFORE ENCOUNTERING TURBULENCE, THE CAPTAIN TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE PASSENGERS SHOULD BE SEATED WITH THEIR BELTS FASTENED. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A SIMILAR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS. A FEMALE PASSENGER AND HER 4 YR OLD DAUGHTER LEFT THEIR SEATS SO THE CHILD COULD USE THE LAVATORY AT THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE. WHILE THEY WERE RETURNING TO THEIR SEATS, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FEMALE PASSENGER SUFFERED A FRACTURED LEG.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,200 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 179 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37,627 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 4, 1988; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 116,000 lb
- Seats: 111
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MCO Orlando FL at 7:02 pm
- Destination: IAD Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from IAD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 101 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.