Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Veradero Cuba
Sunday, March 6, 2005 2:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On March 6, 2005, at approximately 0202 eastern standard time, an Airbus 310, operated by Air Transat as flight 961, from Veradero, Cuba to Quebec City, Canada, experienced a loss of the rudder while in cruise flight at FL350, 90 miles south of Miami, Florida. The airplane returned to Veradero, Cuba. There were no injuries to the 261 passengers or 9 crew members. The NTSB has provided an accredited representative and technical advisors in the areas of structures, systems, materials, aircraft performance, radar analysis, ATC, system safety, flight recorders and image analysis as well as coordinating efforts with FAA and NASA, to assist all technical groups. The link below connects to the TSB-Canada update page for this investigation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 202
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Veradero
Event State --
Event Country CUBA
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 3
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 --
Investigator's weather source --
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 --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury --
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Canada TSB
NTSB Notification Date Mar 6 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 4 2006 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number DCA05RA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Airbus
Aircraft Model A310
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code ATFF
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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MUVR
Departure City Veradero
Departure State --
Departure Country CU
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYQB
Destination City Quebec City
Destination State --
Destination Country CA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 15 2005 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record DELI
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --