- 9 ▁in ▁mid - Se ptember . ▁He ▁had ▁ 3 , 1 8 6 ▁flight ▁hours , ▁but ▁only ▁ 3 6 ▁hours ▁on ▁the ▁DC - 9 , ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁his ▁tur bo jet ▁experience , ▁and ▁had ▁not ▁flow n ▁for ▁ 2 4 ▁days . ▁Br ue cher ▁was ▁the ▁pilot ▁flying ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁accident . ▁ ▁The ▁cabin ▁crew ▁consisted ▁of ▁three ▁flight ▁attend ants . ▁ ▁We ather ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁accident ▁on ▁Sunday ▁afternoon , ▁the ▁National ▁We ather ▁Service ▁was ▁reporting ▁moder ate ▁wet ▁snow ▁at ▁St ap leton ▁International ▁Airport . ▁The ▁heav iest ▁snow fall ▁rate ▁occurred ▁between ▁ 1 3 : 1 0 ▁and ▁ 1 4 : 2 0 ▁M ST , ▁with ▁peak ▁snow fall ▁rate ▁occurr ing ▁around ▁ 1 3 : 5 0 . ▁ ▁Acc ident ▁▁ ▁Cont inental ▁Airlines ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 7 1 3 ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁depart ▁Den ver ▁at ▁ 1 2 : 2 5 , ▁but ▁many ▁fl ights ▁out ▁of ▁Den ver ▁that ▁day ▁were ▁delayed ▁by ▁inc lement ▁weather . ▁At ▁ 1 3 : 0 3 , ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 7 1 3 ▁tax ied ▁from ▁its ▁gate ▁to ▁the ▁de - icing ▁pad ; ▁air ▁traffic ▁controllers ▁were ▁not ▁aware ▁that ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 7 1 3 ▁had ▁depart ed ▁the ▁gate ▁because ▁the ▁flight ▁crew ▁did ▁so ▁without ▁request ing ▁tax i ▁clear ance . ▁De