Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Saturday, August 19, 1989 18:58 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPT RPRTD THAT, WHILE CRUISING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE, WHICH CONTD FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED, BUT A FLT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS NOT SEATED, SUFFERED A BROKEN ANKLE. NO FORECAST FOR TURBULENCE OR PIREPS WERE RPRTD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IN-FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH UNFORECAST TURBULENCE, WHICH RESULTED IN INJURY OF A FLIGHT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS NOT WEARING A SAFETY BELT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1858
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32960
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 1906 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 78
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 13
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39311
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N489US
NTSB Number MIA89LA228
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 FOKKER
Aircraft Model F-28 MK4000
Aircraft Series Identifier F-28 MK400
Aircraft Serial Number 11149
Certified Max Gross Weight 73000
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 69
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 Unknown
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 USAIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GREATER PITTSBURG INT'L ARPT.
Operator City PITTSBURG
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15231
Operator Code USAA
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 FLL
Departure City FORT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JAX
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State FL
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --