Boeing B737-300 incident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, January 20, 1990
On January 20, 1990 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Boeing B737-300, registered N338UA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Cedar Rapids Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 72 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF ALL FOUR MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES ON TAKEOFF DUE TO THE PARKING BRAKE BEING LOCKED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1990 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Cedar Rapids Muni
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 72 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B737-300
- Registration
- N338UA · no longer on the register · serial 24242
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ALL FOUR MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES FAILED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION. THE PARKING BRAKE HAD BEEN SET ON THE ICY RUNWAY TO DO AN ENGINE RUNUP. THE CAPTAIN STATED HE HAD RELEASED THE BRAKES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ROLL, AND THE COPILOT SAID HE HAD HEARD THE BRAKES RELEASE. HOWEVER, NEITHER PILOT HAD CHECKED TO SEE IF THE RED PARKING BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. POST INCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED BOTH THE CAPTAIN'S AND COPILOT'S PARKING BRAKE ACTUATION RIGGING TO BE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 133,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF56 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from CID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 67 |
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.