Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peru, Illinois 61354
Saturday, September 6, 1997 20:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane encountered clear air turbulence during cruise flight at 10,000 feet msl. Two flight attendants, who were in the galley at the time of the encounter, were injured. One received minor injuries, and the other received a dual compound fracture to her leg. The airplane was 40 miles from its destination when the turbulence was encountered. The captain declared a medical emergency, and the flight continued to its destination. The seat belt sign was off at the time of the accident. There were no SIGMETs or AIRMETs in effect for the location of the turbulence encounter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

sudden/unexpected encounter with clear air turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2040
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PERU
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61354
Event Date Year 1997
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 2054 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID PIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 660
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 41
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1132
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N855AW
NTSB Number CHI97LA285
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 British Aerospace
Aircraft Model BAE-ATP
Aircraft Series Identifier BAE-ATP
Aircraft Serial Number 2029
Certified Max Gross Weight 50550
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 68
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 6 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 11805
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED FEEDER SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address O'HARE INT'L AIRPORT
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code UF6A
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 2015
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PIA
Destination City PEORIA
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 --