Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palestine, Texas 75801
Sunday, April 6, 2003 10:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The transport category airplane encountered severe turbulence while deviating around weather at flight level 280 (FL280). The captain had informed the flight attendants to leave the carts stowed and sit down because they might get "a few bumps" for the next minutes or so. The "Fasten Seat Belt" sign was illuminated, and had not been turned off since takeoff. A few minutes later the airplane encountered "moderate turbulence" with no preceding chop. One flight attendant, who was in the aft galley was trying to stow away the beverage cart after receiving a call reporting turbulence the airplane may encounter. While trying to stow the cart away, the cart rolled into her right side, resulting in a fractured femur. Following the turbulence encounter, the airplane diverted to another airport and landed without further incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The airplane's encounter with unforecasted clear air turbulence during cruise flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Palestine
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75801
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 123720N
Event Location Longitude 0960614W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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) 16504
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 6 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1123
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71411
NTSB Number FTW03LA121
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 737-924
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 30128
Certified Max Gross Weight 175500
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 174
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 5 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3769
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Continental Airlines
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1600 Smith Street
Aircraft Owner City Houston
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77002
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 CALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IAH
Departure City Houston
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1032
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SLC
Destination City Salt Lake City
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2004 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --