Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Tuesady, January 11, 2000 21:51 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

One flight attendant sustained serious injuries and another sustained minor injuries when the airplane encountered moderate to severe turbulence while in cruise flight at 35,000 feet. Approximately 2 hours from landing, the flight crew called the flight attendants to inform them that turbulence was expected (based on ATC ride reports) and to secure the cabin and galleys. The flight crew said the airplane had been slowed to 0.78 Mach when turbulence was encountered. One flight attendant, now in seat 34C, did not fasten her seatbelt immediately. She was lifted into the air during the encounter. She hit the overhead compartment and fell on an armrest and then to the floor.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Encounter with Clear Air Turbulence. Poor communication between the captain and flight attendants as to the urgency for the flight attendants to take their seats was a contributing factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/11/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2151
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89119
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 1
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2152 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ALS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 42
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10437
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 12 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N909AW
NTSB Number LAX00LA072
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 757-2G7
Aircraft Series Identifier 757-2G7
Aircraft Serial Number 24522
Certified Max Gross Weight 240000
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 196
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICA WEST AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4000 E SKY HARBOR RD
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85034
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 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 CMH
Departure City COLUMBUS
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 2036
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 8 2001 4:00AM
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 --