Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51 incident near Boise, Idaho, December 2, 1982
On December 2, 1982 at about 4:27 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51, registered N785NC, was involved in an incident near Boise, Idaho (Gowen Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 22 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1982 · about 4:27 am local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · Gowen Field · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 22 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51 · all DC-9-51s on the register
- Registration
- N785NC · no longer on the register · serial 48110
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER CLIMBOUT FROM DENVER THE FIRST OFFICER NOTICED THE CAPTAIN TWITCH AND ASKED IF HE WAS OKAY. THE CAPTAIN ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVELY BUT DONNED HIS OXYGEN MASK AT THE CO-PILOT'S SUGGESTION. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER THE CAPTAIN STIFFENED WITH HIS LEFT FOOT PRESSING THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH 10000 FT APPROACHING BOISE. A STEWARDESS AND PASSENGER REMOVED THE CAPTAIN FROM HIS SEAT AND LAID HIM ON THE FLOOR. THE CO-PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND CONTINUED THE APPROACH, LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AN AMBULANCE MET THE FLIGHT AND TOOK THE CAPTAIN TO THE HOSPITAL. EKG AND BLOOD CHEMISTRY TESTS SHOWED RESULTS COMPATIBLE WITH MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.
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: 9,600 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,077 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 110,000 lb
- Seats: 139
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W JT8D-17 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Republic Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 8:10 pm
- Destination: Rocky Mount NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 9,763 ft by 190 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from BOI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 17 |
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.