Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95050
Sunday, December 22, 1996 12:12 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight had been in moderate chop for some time during the initial descent. The cabin seat belt sign had been illuminated for about 20 minutes and all passengers were secure in their seats. The cabin crew had just completed a beverage service and were stowing galley equipment at the time. As the aircraft was descending through 17,500 feet one severe turbulence jolt was experienced. The injured cabin crew members were standing in the aft galley; one was able to grab a hand hold while the other one was thrown against the ceiling and back to the floor. The cabin attendant who was thrown to the ceiling sustained a compound fracture of one ankle, which required surgery to repair. The second cabin attendant was treated at the hospital for soft tissue injuries and released. Review of the weather reports disclosed that SIGMET Papa 13 was issued at 221656 and forecast moderate to occasional severe turbulence in the southern portions of California below 18,000 feet. Center weather advisories 01 and 02 were in effect for the time and location of the encounter and predicted moderate to occasional severe turbulence below 22,000 feet. The dispatch weather package provided to the flight crew at Chicago was reviewed. The date/time group for the package preparation was noted to be 221501, prior to the issuance of SIGMET Papa 13 and both center weather advisories. No SIGMETS were noted for the terminal portions of the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight's encounter with severe turbulence while the injured cabin crew was standing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1212
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95050
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 12
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 Partial - limited by briefer
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MCE
Elevation of weather observation facility 153
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 1
Injury Total None 119
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1901
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1532
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N590AA
NTSB Number LAX97LA072
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 McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-83
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-83
Aircraft Serial Number 53253
Certified Max Gross Weight 149000
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 145
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 AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4333 AMON CARTER BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City FT. WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76155
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 AALA
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 ORD
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 932
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SJC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 --