Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Wednesday, November 11, 1987 20:46 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPT SAID HE EXPECTED SOME WX DRG THE 1ST 2 HRS OF FLT. AFTER LVLG AT FL 330, THE ACFT WAS IN CLEAR WX, BUT LGT TURBC CONTD FOR A TIME. AFTER THE TURBC HAD STOPPED & THERE WERE NO WX RTRNS ON THE RADAR, THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED OFF, ALTHOUGH THE CAPT SUGGESTED TO THE PAX THAT THEY KEEP THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER (APRX 2 HR & 6 MIN AFTER TKOF), THE ACFT ENCTRD SVR CLEAR AIR TURBC (CAT) W/O WARNING. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT PITCHED, THE AUTO-PLT DISCONNECTED & 35 OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED. THREE PAX WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED; 25 PAX & 7 FLT ATTENDANTS RCVD MINOR INJURIES. THE FLT THEN DIVERTED TO MIAMI WHERE THE INJURED WERE TREATED. A WX STUDY SHOWED THE TURBC WAS ENCTRD NEAR THE EDGE OF THE JET STREAM WHERE THE ACFT HAD CROSSED ABOUT 6000' OVER A CELL (OR GROUP OF CELLS). WINDS AT THAT POINT WERE ESTD TO BE FROM 260 DEG AT ABOUT 55 KTS. MODERATE TO SVR TURBC WAS FORECAST NEAR RAIN SHOWERS &/OR TSTMS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2046
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1987
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 Full
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 Clear
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) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 55
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 32
Injury Total None 105
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 35
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2273
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 11 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35912
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N813PA
NTSB Number MIA88FA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Airbus Industrie
Aircraft Model A310
Aircraft Series Identifier A310
Aircraft Serial Number 449
Certified Max Gross Weight 330693
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 280
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 763
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST CO. TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 200 PARK AVE.
Operator City NEW YORK
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 10166
Operator Code PAAA
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 Only
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 1840
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCS
Destination City CRCS,VENEZUELA
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 --