Aircraft
NTSB Issues Probable Cause for Crash of Continental 737-500
The NTSB yesterday placed the primary blame for the 2008 runway excursion of Continental Airlines Flight 1404 in Denver on the captain’s “cessation of rudd

The NTSB yesterday placed the primary blame for the 2008 runway excursion of Continental Airlines Flight 1404 in Denver on the captain’s “cessation of rudder input.” The Board determined that the captain needed rudder input to maintain directional control when, about four seconds before departing the runway, the Boeing 737-500 encountered a strong and gusty crosswind “that exceeded the captain’s training and experience.”

The NTSB listed as a contributing factor an ATC system that did not require or facilitate the dissemination of key available wind information to air traffic controllers and pilots, and inadequate crosswind training in the airline industry due to deficient simulator wind gust modeling.