Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07101
Monday, April 7, 1997 8:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a company generated full weather briefing for the intended route of flight, which did not call for turbulence. During cruise flight at 16,000 feet, the flight encountered unforecasted turbulence. During the encounter, a flight attendant fell and fractured a bone in her foot.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an encounter with unforecasted turbulence, during cruise flight, which resulted in serious injury to the flight attendant.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07101
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
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 756 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BOS
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 44
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1300
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N413UA
NTSB Number NYC97LA071
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 Airbus Industrie
Aircraft Model A-320-232
Aircraft Series Identifier A320-232
Aircraft Serial Number 470
Certified Max Gross Weight 169750
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 151
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 No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 66100
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
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
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 BOS
Departure City BOSTON
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:03PM
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 --