Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamilton, Alabama 35570
Friday, October 19, 1984 14:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N825E, OPERATED AS DELTA AIR LINES FLT 977 HEAVY, ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE DURING DESCENT. ONE FLT ATTENDANT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES, TWO FLT ATTENDANTS & TWO PASSENGERS HAD MINOR INJURIES. EVEN THOUGH THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT SEATED. THE CAPT STATED THAT AFTER ENCOUNTERING THE TURBULENCE THE ACFT BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS & HE COULD SEE THE CUMULUS CLOUD BEHIND, BUT IT HAD NOT SHOWN UP ON RADAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/1984
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HAMILTON
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35570
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1458 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total None 93
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3196
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27246
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N825E
NTSB Number ATL85LA014
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-8-71
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-71
Aircraft Serial Number 45944
Certified Max Gross Weight 529000
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 212
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 200
Airframe Hours 50347
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARTSFIELD INT'L AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code DALA
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 ATL
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MEM
Destination City MEMPHIS
Destination State TN
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 --