Airbus A320 accident near Denver, Colorado, August 27, 2019
On August 27, 2019 at about 12:50 pm local time, a 2018 Airbus A320, registered N328FR, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with mountain wave turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2019 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320 251N, built 2018 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- N328FR · registry record · serial 8118
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 27, 2019, at 0650 am mountain daylight time, Frontier Airlines as flight 461, an Airbus A320, N328FR, encountered turbulence while on descent to the Denver International Airport (KDEN), Denver, Colorado. As a result of the turbulence, one flight attendant was seriously injured. There were no other injuries to the remainder of the passengers and crew onboard and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (KMSP), Minneapolis, Minnesota to KDEN. Visual flight conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to the flight crew, as the flight was approaching 15,000 feet, the captain, who was the pilot monitoring, identified a single cumulus cloud in front of them with the tops at about 15,000 feet, and informed the first officer (FO) of possible turbulence. The FO reduced airspeed to 250 knots in anticipation of the turbulence and the captain advised the flight attendants to take their seats. The airplane then entered moderate turbulence for about 10 seconds. According to the flight attendants (FA), very shortly after being notified by the captain, the turbulence was encountered. The aft flight attendant was returning to her jumpseat when the turbulence occurred and she was thrown to the floor. After the encounter, she was helped back to her jumpseat by another FA and they informed the flight crew. The flight was met at the gate by medical personnel and the FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken left ankle. An NTSB Weather Study indicated likely mountain wave conditions between 11,000 and 14,000 feet with cloud formation near the accident site and points eastward, and cloud tops near 15,000 ft.
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 (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,639 hours in all; 110 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 13, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,835 hours in all; 201.5 in the last 90 days; 98.5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 8, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Frontier Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN at 6:00 am
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16L, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on April 28, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weather Study Report | PDF, 18 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Attachment 1 | GIF file | Download |
| 3 | Weather Attachment 2 | GIF file | Download |
| 4 | Weather Attachment 3 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Operational Factors Specialist Report | PDF, 22 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Operational Factors Attachment 1 - Crew Statements | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Operational Factors Attachment 2 - Flgiht Dispatch Release and Weather Briefing | PDF, 22 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Operational Factors Attachment 3 - Flight Operations Manuals [excerpts] | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Operational Factors Attachment 4 - Dispatch Operations Manual [excerpts] | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.