Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Monday, September 19, 1994 18:39 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE DESCENDING IN CLOUDS THE AIRLINER ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. NO ECHOES WERE OBSERVED ON THE AIRBORNE WEATHER AVOIDANCE RADAR. ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT RECEIVED SERIOUS BACK INJURIES. A REVIEW OF THE WEATHER AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATING IN AN AREA OF DEVELOPING CONVECTIVE CELLS THAT MAY NOT HAVE APPEARED ON RADAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE IN CLOUDS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1839
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1824 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 131
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 947
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 837
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N433US
NTSB Number MIA94LA214
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-400
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-400
Aircraft Serial Number 24842
Certified Max Gross Weight 142500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 146
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name USAIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2345 CRYSTAL DRIVE, PARK FOUR
Aircraft Owner City ARLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22227
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code USAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CLT
Departure City CHARLOTTE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1654
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PBI
Destination City WEST PALM BEACH
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --