Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15231
Thursday, September 17, 1987 15:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE DESCENDING OUT OF FLT LVL 270 FOR LNDG, USAIR FLIGHT 10 ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE. PRIOR TO THIS THIS ENCOUNTER, THE CAPT ADVISED ALL PASSENGERS AND CABIN CREW TO REMAIN SEATED AND TO ENGAGE THEIR SEATBELTS. A SIMILAR ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BY THE CABIN ATTENDANTS. AN ELDERLY INVALID FEMALE PASSENGER STATED SHE HAD TO USE TO THE RESTROOM PRIOR TO LNDG SINCE HER WALKING DEVICE WAS BEING SHIPPED AND SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE FACILITIES AT THE ARPT. THE ATTENDANTS ATTEMPTED TO DISSUADE HER BUT SHE PREVAILED. TWO OF THEM HELPED HER TO HER FEET AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF ASSISTING HER DOWN THE ISLE WHEN THEY WERE ALL THROWN TO THE FLOOR BY INFLIGHT TURBULENCE. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED TWO BROKEN BONES AND OTHER INJURIES. THE FLT WAS GIVEN SPECIAL HANDLING AND LNDD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PITTSBURGH
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15231
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1500 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1388
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 100
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 23000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 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 --
Injury Total None 70
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1847
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35146
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N774AL
NTSB Number NYC87FA257
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 727-200
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-200
Aircraft Serial Number 22984
Certified Max Gross Weight 197000
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 158
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
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 USAIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address HANGAR 12, WASH., NAT'L. ARPT
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name USAIR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 FT.LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PIT
Destination City PITTSBURGH
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --