Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sacramento, California 95814
Sunday, December 13, 1998 18:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Prior to descent from cruise, the cockpit crew advised the second flight attendant, who was later injured, and the third flight attendant by intercom that turbulence was anticipated during descent for landing and for them to secure the cabin and be seated. The second attendant notified the first attendant who directed her attention toward securing first class. The second flight attendant proceeded through the cabin from front to rear, with a trash bag, picking up service items and ensuring that passenger's seat belts were fastened. As she reached the rear of the cabin, turbulence was encountered and both she and the third flight attendant, who was working in the rear galley, took their seats and fastened their seat belts. After 1 or 2 minutes of moderate turbulence, the turbulence ceased and the second and third flight attendants got up to finish their work in the aft galley. Additional turbulence was then encountered which caused the second flight attendant to fall to the floor of the galley. The third flight attendant also fell but landed on the foot of the second attendant, which broke the second attendant's ankle. The fight data recorder output showed that, at one point in the descent, vertical acceleration values varied from 0.65 g's to 2.02 g's over a 1-second period.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the second and third flight attendants to comply with instructions to remain seated in anticipation of turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/13/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SACRAMENTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95814
Event Date Year 1998
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 253 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SMF
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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) 30
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 74
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1866
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 14 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N328AW
NTSB Number LAX99LA050
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 737-300
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-300
Aircraft Serial Number 23377
Certified Max Gross Weight 139000
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 134
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 14 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1098
Airframe Hours 41558
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST SECURITY BANK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 S. MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICA WEST AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4000 E. SKY HARBOR BLVD.
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85034
Operator Code AWXA
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 SNA
Departure City SANTA ANA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1750
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SMF
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
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 --