What happened
On the evening of December 20, 2008, a Continental Airlines flight departing from Denver International Airport in Colorado experienced a runway excursion. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 registered as N18611, was performing a takeoff from runway 34R when it departed from the left side of the runway. Following the excursion, a fire broke out involving the aircraft.
The flight was a scheduled domestic service traveling from Denver to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. At the time of the incident, the weather was characterized by visual meteorological conditions, though the area was experiencing strong, gusty winds coming from the west. The flight was being conducted under instrument flight rules.
The accident resulted in 6 serious injuries and 42 minor injuries among the occupants. Specifically, the captain and five passengers sustained serious injuries, while the first officer, two cabin crewmembers, and 38 passengers suffered minor injuries. A total of 68 individuals, including one cabin crewmember and 67 passengers, were not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the event.
Findings
At the time of the departure, the airport was experiencing strong and gusty westerly winds.