Boeing 737-522 accident near Portland, Oregon, November 25, 1995
On November 25, 1995 at about 11:23 pm local time, a Boeing 737-522, registered N953UA, was involved in an accident near Portland, Oregon. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 111 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH UNFORECAST MODERATE HIGH LEVEL WINDSHEAR AND TURBULENCE AS THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS PERFORMING HIS DUTIES DURING DESCENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1995 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 111 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-522 · all 737-522s on the register
- Registration
- N953UA · no longer on the register · serial 26700
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DESCENT FOR LANDING HE TURNED ON THE SEATBELT SIGN AND INFORMED THE CABIN CREW TO SECURE THE CABIN EARLY BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED TURBULENCE. HE DID NOT URGE THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE NONE OF THE WEATHER INFORMATION HE RECEIVED AT THE TIME INDICATED ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT TURBULENCE. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH FLIGHT LEVEL 200, THE AIRPLANE BRIEFLY ENCOUNTERED WHAT THE CAPTAIN DESCRIBED AS MODERATE TURBULENCE. ONE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WAS STILL SECURING THE CABIN AT THE TIME AND FELL BACKWARDS ONTO A STOVE IN THE GALLEY, SUSTAINING A FRACTURED SHOULDER. WEATHER INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT MODERATE TURBULENCE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER REPORTS WERE NOT FORECAST FOR THE ALTITUDE OF OCCURRENCE BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,430 hours in all; 527 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,220 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 6, 1995; 149 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 122,500 lb
- Seats: 149
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm CFM56-36-1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 10:09 pm
- Destination: PDX OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 107 |
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.