Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near Tampa, Florida 33607
Thursday, December 29, 1983 9:08 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE CAPTAIN REVIEWED AVAILABLE WX REPORTS & WAS AWARE OF THE WX CONDITIONS, INCLUDING CURRENT SIGMETS. HE DECIDED TO FLY A COURSE THAT WAS PARALLEL TO A FRONTAL SYS UNTIL HE COULD GET TO AN AREA WHERE HE COULD CONTINUE TO HIS DESTINATION. AFTER DEPARTING, HE LEFT THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON, BUT DID NOT BRIEF THE PASSENGERS TO EXPECT TURBULENCE NOR RESTRICT THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO THEIR SEATS, SINCE HE DID NOT EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER TURBULENCE. WHILE CRUISING AT 17,000 FT MSL, HE USED HIS RADAR AS WELL AS ATC ADVISORIES TO IDENTIFY ADVERSE WX. AFTER TURNING TO AVOID AN AREA OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. AT THAT TIME, 3 FLT ATTENDANTS & 1 PASSENGER WERE WALKING IN THE AISLE OF THE ACFT. ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. ONE FLT ATTENDANT & 6 PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE ACFT WAS THEN FLOWN BACK TO TAMPA, FL WHERE IT WAS LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 908
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEAR TAMPA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33607
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 912 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 600
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 7
Injury Total None 38
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 8
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2199
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24125
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N811N
NTSB Number MIA84LA052
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 737-201
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-201
Aircraft Serial Number 22869
Certified Max Gross Weight 100800
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 118
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 28 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1417
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIEDMONT AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address SMITH REYNOLDS ARPT., BOX 2720
Aircraft Owner City WINSTON SALEM
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27156
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
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 TPA
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 859
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JAX
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:31AM
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 --