Boeing 737-724 accident near Gunnison, Colorado, January 8, 2005
On January 8, 2005 at about 8:33 pm local time, a Boeing 737-724, registered N16732, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gunnison, Colorado (Gunnison County Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 73 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the snowplow driver's failure to see the airplane during plowing operations. Factors contributing to the accident were the snowplow driver's excessive speed and the snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2005 · about 8:33 pm local time
- Place
- Gunnison, Colorado · Gunnison County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 73 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-724 · all 737-724s on the register
- Registration
- N16732 · registry record · serial 28948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the captain, after landing on runway 06, they rolled out and turned off on A8 taxiway. While taxiing westbound to the gate, airport operations requested him to hold on the taxiway between A4 and A5, to give a Delta Air Lines pushback crew some room to move another airplane. After stopping, he set the brakes, and made a passenger announcement. Approximately 3 minutes later, the airplane was struck from the left rear by a snowplow. The force of the impact pushed the left main landing gear forward approximately 10 feet, turning the airplane to the right as it rotated about its right main landing gear. The captain stated that he shut down the engines, requested an assessment from the flight attendants, and told the first officer to call for fire equipment. He then surveyed the damage from the cockpit window and aft galley service door window. By that time, the snowplow had backed off to the east approximately 50 yards. The captain stated that the airport visibility was reported at 2 miles. However, he could see the Western State "W" on a hill, approximately 2.5 miles south of the airport. After an assessment of the damage and confirmation from the fire crew that it was safe, the airplane was towed to the ramp and the passengers were deplaned with the airstairs. The snow plow operator stated visibility was poor. He said he was unsure of where the airplane was. As he was plowing the taxiway "out of nowhere was the 737." The driver applied brakes, but it was too late. Following the accident, the airport made several changes to its operating procedures with respect to snowplow operations and radio communications with airport vehicles.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 15, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,377 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 8, 2005; 6.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 141,100 lb
- Seats: 131
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm International CFM56-7 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm International CFM56-7 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAH Houston TX at 4:38 pm
- Destination: GUC Gunnison CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from KGUC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 68 |
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.