Boeing 777-222 accident near Madison, Wisconsin, June 12, 1999
On June 12, 1999 at about 2:18 am local time, a Boeing 777-222, registered N781UA, was involved in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 8 people had minor injuries; 287 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions. Factors associated with the accident were the turbulence encountered and the seat belt sign was not illuminated.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1999 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 8 people had minor injuries; 287 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 777-222 · all 777-222s on the register
- Registration
- N781UA · registry record · serial 26945
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route from Minneapolis to Chicago the flight encountered turbulence at 19,680 feet msl while in a descent. Four passengers and four flight attendants received minor injuries. One passenger received a broken ankle. The flight had diverted to Minneapolis due to thunderstorm activity in the Chicago area. The captain reported the flight was smooth up until the unexpected turbulence was encountered. The seat belt sign was not on at the time of the encounter. The flight crew received a Weather Briefing Message (WBM) prior to departing Minneapolis, which contained convective sigmets for Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. The accident took place ahead of a stationary front which extended northeast-southwest through central Wisconsin and Iowa which had been creating shower and thunderstorm activity throughout afternoon and evening on the day of the accident. A review of the data from the Quick Access Recorder revealed the flight experienced a change in G-loading from .0843 g's to 1.9375 g's over a 2-second time period while at an altitude of 19,680 feet msl.
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 instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,389 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 11, 1999; 390 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 545,000 lb
- Seats: 305
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW4077 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN at 1:48 am
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from MSN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | 8 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 | 279 |
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.