Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hilton Head, South Carolina 29926
Sunday, August 5, 2012 9:12 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an en route descent, the flight crew noted adverse weather ahead and illuminated the fasten seatbelt sign. Immediately afterward, a flight attendant made a passenger announcement advising that the seatbelt sign was illuminated. Although the seatbelt sign was illuminated, an elderly passenger, who was unable to use the restroom before boarding the accident flight, left her seat for the lavatory. While the passenger was out of her seat, the flight encountered what the captain later reported to be about 2 to 3 seconds of light to moderate turbulence. The standing passenger fell to the floor and was injured. The flight crew arranged for medical personnel and equipment to meet the airplane at its destination airport. The flight continued and landed uneventfully, and the injured passenger was taken to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The passenger’s failure to adhere to flight and cabin crewmembers’ instructions to remain seated in anticipation of adverse weather and turbulence along the airplane’s flight path.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 912
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Hilton Head
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29926
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 321200N
Event Location Longitude 0803600W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 294
Weather Observation Facility ID HXD
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
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 75
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31147
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2013 12:55PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N134HQ
NTSB Number ERA12LA498
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 EMBRAER S.A.
Aircraft Model ERJ 170-200 LR
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17000220
Certified Max Gross Weight 85517
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 2
Passenger Seats 80
Total number of seats on the aircraft 84
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 11691
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name REPUBLIC AIRLINE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8909 PURDUE RD STE 300
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46268-3152
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name REPUBLIC AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 8909 PURDUE RD STE 300
Operator City INDIANAPOLIS
Operator State IN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 46268-3152
Operator Code R61A
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number R61A758X
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 PHL
Departure City Philadelphia
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JAX
Destination City Jacksonville
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2013 12:55PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --