Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Romulus, Michigan 48174
Friday, November 30, 2001 12:25 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A passenger sustained a serious in-flight injury when the flight encountered turbulence. The passenger stated, "When I got up to go to bathroom there was no warning of any turbulence, there was no seat belt sign. Outside weather, lighting conditions I recall as normal. ... I do not recall any voice announcement of turbulence while I was in the toilet. ... As I was coming out, may be two feet from the entrance of the toilet I was thrown up-down a number of times. I tried to sit or catch the seats in vain. I saw two flight attendants seated and every attempt I made to catch something was failed. It was extremely severe turbulence. ... I fell on the ground. I saw my rt ankle is completely dislocated." The Captain stated, "Seatbelt sign was on from beginning of flight due to light chop. Ride began to deteriorate at [Flight Level] FL280 so we descended to FL240. Ride was still light chop until a point past [London VOR] YXU30 on [Jet airway] J36. We encountered a pocket of severe turb[ulence]. Immediately requested descent to FL200. After receiving clearance to descend ride smoothed out passing FK200. Flight attendants called up on the interphone and reported a man who was exiting aft lav as we hit the turb had injured his foot. Flight attendants reported to captain that foot was possibly broken. Crew notified [Air Traffic Control] ATC of medical emergency and requested landing at DTW and for medical assistance to meet aircraft. ... Uneventful landing was made. Paramedics came up aft airstair at the gate and assisted injured passenger." A flight attendant stated, "Then [the], (passenger) got up and came to the back. I told him that 'the seat belt sign was on and that he should be in his seat with his seat belt on.' He continues to the RH bathroom. [The #4 flight attendant] got up and a PA from the aft PA. She told the passengers that, 'the seat belt sign was on and they should remain in their seat with their seat belts on.' She then returned to row 30 seat F. About 1-2 minutes after her PA the passenger ... came out of the lav. It was bumpier then so I told him to take a seat. Right now in row 30-seat D. As he started in for row 30 we hit severe turbulence."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The turbulence encountered in-flight and the passenger not complying with the flight and cabin crew’s warning of the turbulance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/30/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1225 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Romulus |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48174 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| 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 | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1126 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 250 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DTW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 640 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 100 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 22 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 28 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.74 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KDTW 301726Z 22022G28KT 10SM BKN017 OVC023 09/07 A |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 89 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12493 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 30 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1215 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 6 2002 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Detroit, MI, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N488AA |
| NTSB Number | CHI02LA043 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | None |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | McDonnell Douglas |
| Aircraft Model | DC-9-82 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 49681 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 150500 |
| 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 | 137 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 29 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4325 |
| Airframe Hours | 38867 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AMERICAN AIRLINES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4333 Amon Carter Blvd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Worth |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76155 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | AALA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LGA |
| Departure City | NEW YORK |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1102 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ORD |
| Destination City | CHICAGO |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2002 7:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |