Continental Airline Accident in Denver Injures Dozens of Passengers
On Saturday at 6:18 p.m. Continental Airlines Flight 1404 headed for Houston, TX from Denver, CO skidded off the runway as it tried to take-off. There were no deaths in the accident, however, 38 of the 115 people on board the aircraft were injured.
According to the first officer, who was not controlling the aircraft at the time, as the plane headed down the runway, reaching 119 knots (137 mph) it moved away from the centerline and made a "sudden left turn." The plane then skidded across the taxiway, ultimately crashing into a 40-foot-deep ravine. One passenger, reportedly, saw an engine in flames as the plane skidded across the taxiway, but it is unclear at this point when the fire started.
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Firefighters were on the scene within minutes and, by that time, the majority of the right side of the plane was engulfed in flames. Passengers exited on the left side of the plane with the help of flight attendants and walked up the side of the ravine, away from the burning plane.
The crew that flew the aircraft on the previous leg, reportedly, had no difficulties during their flight and both the captain and the first officer are experienced pilots with clean safety records. The big question, at this point, then is, why was the plane taking off in 31 knot (36 mph) crosswinds? Other speculation includes, landing gear malfunction that may have caused wheel lockup.
The National Transportation Safety Board is in Denver and has begun their investigation, which, according to an NTSB official could take more than a year.
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