Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kansas City, Missouri 64195
Wednesday, May 29, 1991 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INCIDENT AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE WHILE FLYING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT 10,000' MSL. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT DAMAGED DURING THE ENCOUNTER AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. SHORTLY AFTER THE ENCOUNTER THE CAPTAIN WAS ADVISED BY THE CABIN CREW THAT THERE HAD BEEN INJURIES IN THE CABIN DURING THE TURBULENCE. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO ITS DESTINATION WHERE IT WAS MET BY PARAMEDICS. SIX PERSONS, THREE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND THREE PASSENGERS, WERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL, TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED. ONE PASSENGER SEAT BELT SEPARATED FROM ITS ATTACHMENT POINT ON THE SEAT FRAME. EXAMINATION OF THE SEAT BELT SHOWED A DISTORTED KEEPER CLIP ON THE HOOK ASSEMBLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURERS. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCIDENT ARE INADEQUATE CERTIFICATION/APPROVAL BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AND CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/29/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City KANSAS CITY
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64195
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID MCI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 6
Injury Total None 40
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5019
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44928
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N933ML
NTSB Number CHI91IA175
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-32
Aircraft Series Identifier DC9-32
Aircraft Serial Number 47548
Certified Max Gross Weight 104000
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 85
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MIDWAY AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5959 S. CICERO ANE.
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60638
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 MDW
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MCI
Destination City KANSAS CITY
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:00PM
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 --