Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32F accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, February 9, 1989
On February 9, 1989 at about 8:00 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32F, registered N935F, was involved in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE CAPTAIN (PILOT-IN-COMMAND) AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE PORTABLE OXYGEN SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INCAPACITATION DUE TO HYPOXIA. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE BY FAILING TO REINSTALL THE AFT PRESSURE BULKHEAD HATCH (INSPECTION DOOR) AND POOR CREW COORDINATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1989 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32F · all DC-9-32Fs on the register
- Registration
- N935F · no longer on the register · serial 47220
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS 1ST OFFICER (FO) WAS FLYING ACFT, DRG CLB AFTER TKOF, CABIN WOULDN'T PRESSURIZE. HE BGN LVL OFF AT 16,000', BUT CAPT ORDERED HIM TO CONT CLBG TO ASSIGNED FLT LVL (FL 330), WHILE HE (THE CAPT) WENT AFT TO FND PRBLM. FO DISLIKED THE ORDER,BUT COMPLIED RATHER THAN CONFRONT CAPT. CAPT LEFT COCKPIT WITH PORTABLE 'ON DEMAND' OXYGEN (O2) SYS, WHICH HAD 15 MIN SUPPLY OF O2. WHEN CAPT DIDN'T RTRN, FO TRIED SIGNALING HIM. THO RELUCTANT TO COUNTERMAND CAPT'S ORDER, FO MADE SERIES OF DSCNTS TO 13,000'. AFTER ABT 30 MIN, HE LEFT COCKPIT & FND CAPT UNCONSCIOUS & UNRESPONSIVE IN FWD CARGO AREA WITH O2 MASK ON HIS FACE. CAPT'S FOOT WAS ENTANGLED IN CARGO NET WHICH CVRD A PALLET. FO TRIED TO REVIVE CAPT, TO NO AVAIL, THENDECLARED EMERG & LNDD AT LUBBOCK. CAPT WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL, BUT WAS DEAD ON ARRIVAL. EXAM REVEALED AFT PRESSURE BULK-HEAD WAS NOT INSTALLED. IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR MAINT BFR FLT. PORTABLE O2 SYS WAS STILL FULL, INDCG CAPT HAD LITTLE OR NO USE OF O2; IT WAS TESTED & FUNCTIONED NMLY. GROUP OF 8 FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS CONCLUDED CAPT DIED FM HYPOXIC HYPOXIA.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 152 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37,823 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 13, 1989; 117 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 108,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHIF Ogden UT at 7:50 am
- Destination: KSKF San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
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.