Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Sunday, June 16, 1985 19:12 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS DEVIATING AROUND THUNDERSTORM CELLS WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY TURBULENCE. THE CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE CONDUCTING BEVERAGE SERVICE AT THE TIME. THE PASSENGERS ANDYBEEN ADVISED TO GASTEN THEIR SEAT BELTS AND THE 'FASTEN SEAT BELTS' LIGHTS WERE ON. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY EFFORT BY THE CREW TO SUSPEND CABIN BEVERAGE SERVICE. CONVECTIVE SIGMETS ANS WEATHER FORECASTS PROVIDED ADEQUATE WARNING OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ALONG THE ACFT'S PROPOSED ROUTE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT RADAR DATA PLACES THE ACFT BETWEEN TWO CELLS OF MODERATE TO VERY HEAVY INTENSITY LEVEL LOCATED LESS THAN 10 MILES APART.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1912
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32960
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1857 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1400
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 1
Injury Total None 43
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1769
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29146
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N814N
NTSB Number MIA85LA194
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 B-737-201
Aircraft Series Identifier B737-201
Aircraft Serial Number 22962
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 112
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 257
Airframe Hours 4530
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIEDMONT AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. 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 PAIA
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 MCO
Departure City ORLANDO
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1903
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:01PM
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 --