Unknown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key West, Florida 33040
Tuesady, July 24, 1984 13:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS LEFT ON FOR THE ENTIRE FLT FROM MEXICO CITY TO MIAMI. APRX 50 MI FROM KEY WEST, THE FLT BEGAN A DESCENT FROM FL370. WHILE DESCENDING THRU ABOUT 11,500 FT, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRSPEED WAS 270 KTS & THE ACFT WAS PASSING THRU A CUMULUS CLOUD. ONE PASSENGER SUFFERED A SERIOUS INJURY, 4 PASSENGERS & 4 FLT ATTENDANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLT CREW CONTINUED TO MIAMI INTL ARPT & LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. A WX STUDY REVEALED A LARGE AREA OF LEVEL 2 TO LEVEL 5 THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE ROUTE. THERE WAS A CONVECTIVE SIGMET FOR AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH TOPS TO 45,000 FT. THE PASSENGERS STATED THAT NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE TO WARN THEM OF POSSIBLE TURBULENCE, EXCEPT FOR THE SEAT BELT SIGN. INJURIES OCCURRED WHEN OCCUPANTS WERE THROWN ABOUT THE CABIN OR AGAINST LOOSE SEAT BELTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KEY WEST
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33040
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport UNKNOWN
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID EWY
Elevation of weather observation facility 4
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 8
Injury Total None 145
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 9
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6007
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27306
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 XAPIK
NTSB Number MIA84LA229
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-8-51
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-51
Aircraft Serial Number 45685
Certified Max Gross Weight 278000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 152
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 61922
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERONAVES DE MEXICO
Aircraft Owner Street Address PASEO DE LA REFORMA NO. 445
Aircraft Owner City MEXICO CITY
Aircraft Owner State MX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06500
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERONAVES DE MEXICO (AOMF
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address REFORMA 445 TORRE-A
Operator City MEXICO CITY
Operator State MX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06500
Operator Code ADMF
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 MEX
Departure City MEXICO CITY
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1105
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MIA
Destination City MIAMI
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --