Douglas DC-8-52 accident near Denver, Colorado, December 9, 1992
On December 9, 1992 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Douglas DC-8-52, registered N810CK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1992 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-8-52 · all DC-8-52s on the register
- Registration
- N810CK · registry record · serial 45814
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FLIGHT LEVEL 310, 20 MILES WEST OF DENVER, COLORADO, THE ALL CARGO 14 CFR PART 121 FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE WHICH CAUSED MAJOR FLUCTUATIONS IN SPEED AND OSCILLATIONS IN BOTH PITCH AND ROLL. DURING THESE DEPARTURES FROM CONTROLLED FLIGHT, THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE AND 19 FEET OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. IN ADDITION, THE NUMBER FOUR ENGINE PYLON CRACKED AND EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED A PRECAUTIONARY DESCENT AND LANDED AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DENVER, COLORADO. PRECEDING THE OCCURRENCE, THE FLIGHT WAS ENCOUNTERING LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE CHOP, WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE FORECAST.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,497 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 10,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32,283 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 24, 1992; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 305,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT3D-3B (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Connie Kalitta Services
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Dayton OH at 12:28 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from DEN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.