Boeing 737 accident near Kaycee, Wyoming, February 17, 2014
On February 17, 2014 at about 7:54 pm local time, a 1998 Boeing 737, registered N23708, was involved in an accident during enroute near Kaycee, Wyoming. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured and 10 people had minor injuries; 108 others were unhurt. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with severe mountain wave turbulence during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2014 · about 7:54 pm local time
- Place
- Kaycee, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 10 people had minor injuries; 108 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 724, built 1998 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N23708 · registry record · serial 28769
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight departed normally and climbed to its cruising altitude where it encountered light turbulence. The flight crew descended to a lower altitude twice in an effort to find a smooth ride. The flight encountered an area of severe mountain wave turbulence when the flight was cruising at flight level (FL) 340 in smooth air with the seat belt sign off seriously injuring two flight attendants. According to the NTSB weather study, an Airman's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) for moderate turbulence for altitudes between FL270 and FL390 was issued at 0745 MST for a region that included the accident location. The flight dispatch release for the accident aircraft, which included weather information, included a Flight Planning Guidance product from WSI that advised of light/occasional moderate mountain wave activity between FL310 and FL390 close to where the accident occurred.
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
What happened, in order
- Turbulence encounter during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,300 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 7, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 13, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52,012 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 154,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 7:08 pm
- Destination: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | 1 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| LapC | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 | 105 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N23708 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.