Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgetown Burkina Faso
Thursday, November 3, 1988 2:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE ELEVATOR SHAFT, FAILED TO NOTICE THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT PRESENT AND CLOSED THE ELEVATOR DOOR BEHIND HER. AT THE SAME TIME A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON THE UPPER DECK ENTERED THE ELEVATOR AND STARTED THE ELEVATOR DOWN. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT BELOW THE ELEVATOR SCREAMED AND THE ELEVATOR WAS STOPPED THEN RETURNED TO THE UPPER LEVEL. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUFFERED A LACREATED SCALP AND COMPRESSION OF THE T2 AND T5 VERTEBRAE. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THERE WERE VISUAL CUES PRESENT THAT WOULD INDICATE THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT PRESENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT TO NOTICE THAT THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT PRESENT AS SHE ENTERED THE ELEVATOR SHAFT AND PRIOR TO CLOSING THE DOOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 220
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRIDGETOWN
Event State --
Event Country BURKINA FASO
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 211
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2432
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 7 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39438
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9674
NTSB Number NYC89LA072
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 B-747-123
Aircraft Series Identifier B-747-123
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 710000
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 395
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAN AM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 200 PARK AVE.
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 PAA
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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code JFK
Departure City NEW YORK
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GIG
Destination City RIO DE JANEIRO
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --