▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁the ▁tri age ▁of ▁passengers , ▁and ▁ten ▁hosp it als ▁treated ▁the ▁surv iv ors . ▁ ▁Investig ation ▁▁ ▁The ▁N T SB ▁investig ated ▁the ▁accident . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Cont inental ▁Airlines ▁file d ▁a ▁report ▁with ▁the ▁N T SB ▁pos iting ▁the ▁causes ▁of ▁the ▁crash ▁as ▁w ake ▁tur bul ence , ▁poor ▁snow ▁p low ing ▁on ▁the ▁run way ▁and ▁errors ▁by ▁air ▁traffic ▁controllers . ▁However , ▁the ▁N T SB ▁investig ated ▁the ▁w ake - t ur bul ence ▁theory ▁and ▁concluded ▁that ▁w ake ▁tur bul ence ▁from ▁the ▁preceding ▁flight ▁would ▁not ▁have ▁affected ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 7 1 3 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁investigation , ▁the ▁crew ' s ▁little ▁experience ▁on ▁the ▁DC - 9 ▁was ▁brought ▁into ▁question . ▁Investig ators ▁also ▁discovered ▁that ▁prior ▁to ▁being ▁h ired ▁by ▁Cont inental , ▁Br ue cher ▁had ▁been ▁dismiss ed ▁by ▁another ▁air line ▁after ▁failing ▁on ▁three ▁occasions ▁to ▁pass ▁a ▁flight ▁exam . ▁Investig ators ▁like wise ▁determined ▁that ▁first ▁officer ▁Br ue cher ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁controls ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁accident . ▁ ▁Investig ators ▁determined ▁that ▁ 2 7 ▁minutes ▁el apsed ▁between ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁de - icing ▁and ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 7 1 3 ' s ▁attempt ▁to ▁take ▁off , ▁seven ▁minutes ▁longer ▁than ▁should ▁have ▁been ▁allowed ▁to ▁el ap se ▁before ▁take off .