Sarasota-Bradenton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sarasota, Florida 34278
Sunday, April 3, 1988 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPTAIN OF THE BOEING 727 AIRCRAFT WAS AWARE THAT A REFUELER WAS UTILIZING KNOWN QUANTITY REFUELING PROCEDURES DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE FUEL GUAGE. HE ALLOWED THE FLIGHT ENGINEER TO ACTIVATE THE B HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AND THE GROUND INTERCONNECT SWITCH, WITHOUT POSITIVELY ASSURING THAT GND PERSONNEL WERE CLEAR OF THE LEADING EDGE SLATS.AT THE SAME TIME THE REFUELER WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE FUELING SYSTEM. THE REFUELER CLIMBED ON A LADDER TO OPEN A FUEL PANEL WITHOUT TELLING ANYBODY. WHEN THE B HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, THE SLATS RETRACTED CRUSHING THE NECK OF THE REFUELER BETWEEN THE WING AND THE TRAILING EDGE OF A SLAT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SARASOTA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34278
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SARASOTA-BRADENTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SRQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 27
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1248 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 144
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 394
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1401
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36068
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88703
NTSB Number MIA88FA138
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 727-224
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-224
Aircraft Serial Number 19512
Certified Max Gross Weight 142000
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 134
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 62206
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77019
Operator Code CALA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City NEWARK
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
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 --