Event Details


Title:Turbulence injuries, Boeing 747-422, September 14, 1997
Micro summary:This Boeing 747-422 experienced turbulence during cruise, seriously injuring a flight attendant and injuring a passenger.
Event Time:1997-09-14 at 1424 CDT
File Name:1997-09-14-US.pdf
Publishing Agency:National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Publishing Country:USA
Report number:CHI97LA292
Pages:5
Diversion Airport:Minneapolis St Paul International, Minneapolis,Mn., Minnesota, USA
Site of event:Grand Forks, ND
Departure:O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Destination:New Tokyo (Narita) International Airport, Tokyo, Japan
Airplane Type(s):Boeing 747-422
Flight Phase:Cruise
Registration(s):N175UA
Operator(s):United Airlines
Type of flight:Revenue
Occupants:324
Fatalities:0
Serious Injuries:1
Minor/Non-Injured:323
Other Injuries:0
Diverted to:Minneapolis St Paul International, Minneapolis,Mn., Minnesota, USA
Executive Summary:

NTSB short summary:

The flight attendant's seat belt was not secured. A factor was turbulence in the clouds.

NTSB synopsis:

Prior to departure, the flight crew received a weather briefing which included a SIGMET for the chance of severe turbulence along the proposed route. Prior to entering IMC conditions, the flight crew turned on the 'Fasten Seat Belt' signs, and gave verbal instructions to passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seat belts. The pilot-in-command diverted around precipitation which he observed on radar; however, when in the close proximity to the precipitation, the airplane encountered what the crew described as three to four seconds of 'moderate' chop. An unseated passenger sustained minor injuries, and a flight attendant received serious injuries.

NTSB factual narrative text:

On September 14, 1997, at 1424 central daylight time, a Boeing 747-422, N175UA, operating as United Airlines Flight 881, experienced turbulence while in cruise flight near Grand Forks, North Dakota. One flight attendant sustained serious injuries and one passenger received minor injuries. Eighteen cabin attendants and 300 passengers reported no injuries. The airplane received no damage. The international flight departed Chicago, Illinois, at 1302 with the intended destination of Narita, Japan. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector indicated that a SIGMET (43C) was in effect at the time of the accident forecasting the chance of severe turbulence in the area of the encounter.

According to written statements, the Captain was at the controls. An area of precipitation was noted on radar which was approximately 50 miles ahead of the airplane. About 15 minutes prior to encountering IMC conditions, the flight crew turned on the "Fasten Seat Belt" signs, and a verbal announcement was made in English and Japanese for the passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seat belts. The statements indicate that the flight deviated to avoid the precipitation; however, the flight was in IMC conditions with continuous light chop. After passing the displayed precipitation, and during a turn back to intercept the original course, the crew reported encountering three to four seconds of "moderate" chop. A few minutes later they were notified by cabin attendants of one passenger injury which occurred which the passenger was not seated. A decision was then made to divert to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The crew stated that they were later informed of an injury sustained by a flight attendant to her knee.

After the landing at Minneapolis, it was determined the passenger had received minor injuries; however, the flight attendant's injuries were serious. None of the flight crew reported any injuries. An inspection of the airplane revealed no damage.

The flight crew had received a company weather briefing prior to departure from Chicago. SIGMET (43C) which was in effect at the time and indicated the chance of severe turbulence in the area of the turbulence encounter.
Learning Keywords:Operations - Turbulence
Consequence - Flight Attendant Fatality - Injury
Close match:Turbulence, Report on the accident to Airbus A330-342 B-HYA within the Manila Flight Information Region on 18 July 2003
Accident involving turbulence and Aer Arann ATR-42-300 on descent to Donegal International Airport, Ireland, on December 2, 2001
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 747-443, G-VROM
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 777-236, G-VIIO
Turbulence injuries, Airbus A300B4-605R, G-MONR
Severe turbulence, Boeing 777-236, G-YMME
Turbulence, Boeing 747-436, G-CIVP
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 777-200, N786UA
Turbulence injury, Boeing 777, April 25, 2006
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-223, June 5, 2005
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-700, April 29, 2005
Turbulence injury, Boeing 767-232, September 29, 2004
Turbulence injury, Boeing 777, July 25, 2004
Turbulence injury, Airbus A319, July 17, 2004
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, July 15, 2004
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-7H4, June 4, 2004
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, May 26, 2004
Turbulence injury, Boeing 767-300, April 10, 2004
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-200, March 1, 2004
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-500, November 1, 2003
Turbulence injuries, Pan American World Airways, Inc., Boeing 747-121, N739PA, near Nantucket, Massachusetts, November 4, 1970
Turbulence, Northwest Airlines, Inc., Boeing 747-151, N606US, Over the North Pacific Ocean, 105 Nautical Miles West of 150° East Longitude at 36° North Latitude, April 12, 1972
Turbulence injuries, National Airlines, Inc., Boeing 747-135, N77772, Near Lake Charles, Louisiana, January 4, 1972
Turbulence injuries, Air France, Boeing 707-B-328B, F-BLCA, Near O-Neill, Nebraska, May 13, 1974
Turbulence injuries, Air Canada Flight 965, Lockheed L-1011, C-FTNJ, Near Charleston, South Carolina, November 24, 1983
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-232, September 15, 1993
Turbulence injury, Boeing 747-400, February 12, 1994
Turbulence on descent involving a Boeing 737-790, near Anchroage, Alaska, on November 13, 2000
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-400, December 22, 1996
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 727-200, July 28, 2000
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-200, April 17, 2001
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-200, May 29, 2002
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, November 6, 2002
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 727-200, March 16, 1995
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-200, April 28, 1997
Turbulence injuries, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-80, February 8, 1999
Turbulence injury, Boeing 777-223, August 22, 2000
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 757-200, April 18, 2002
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 757-222, April 21, 2003
Turbulence injury, Airbus A319-111, June 2, 2003
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 777-222, June 11, 1999
Turbulence injuries, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81, August 7, 2003
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-201, June 22, 1996
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 767-222, June 20, 1995
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 757, August 4, 1995
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51, January 28, 1997
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 767-223, July 22, 1998
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-222, May 5, 1999
Turbulence injuries, McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, March 22, 2002
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-2B7, May 24, 1998
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-3H4, June 25, 1999
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-223, April 7, 1996
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-824, July 8, 1999
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-2G7, January 11, 2000
Turbulence Injury, Boeing 757-2G7, April 2, 2000
Turbulence injury, Airbus A320-232, April 19, 2001
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-500, August 9, 2001
Turbulence injury, Boeing 747-422, May 1, 2002
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas MD-82, June 12, 2003
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 747-422, October 17, 1995
Turbulence injury, Boeing 747-122, November 1, 1995
Turbulence injury, Boeing 747-422, November 19, 1996
Turbulence injury, December 22, 1996
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-242C, March 4, 1998
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-300, December 13, 1998
Turbulence on descent, Airbus A320-231, September 16, 1999
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 767-332ER, September 20, 2000
Turbulence injury, Boeing 757-2G7, May 28, 2001
Turbulence injury, Airbus A320-232, August 20, 2001
Turbulence on descent, Boeing 777-223, February 25, 2003
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas MD-88, Janaury 6, 1995
Turbulence injury, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, October 1, 1997
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-724, February 19, 2002
Turbulence injury, Boeing 767-224, April 22, 2002
Turbulence injury, Boeing 767-300, May 7, 2003
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-800, August 16, 2003
Turbulence injury, Airbus A300B4-605R, January 7, 1997
Turbulence injury, Boeing 747-200, April 18, 1998
Turbulence injury, Bombardier DHC-8-102, September 27, 1998
Turbulence injury, September 30, 1999
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 767-332ER, November 4, 2000
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-522, November 25, 1995
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-2H4, July 7, 1994
Turbulence injury, Boeing 737-291A, June 11, 1997
Tubulence, December 28, 1997, Boeing 747-122, December 28, 1997
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 777-236, G-VIIP, May 14, 2006
Turbulence injuries, Airbus A340-300, D-AIGK, September 18, 1996
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 757-2Q8, N755AT, March 2, 1997
Turbulence injuries, Airbus A340-300, D-AIGK, August 6, 2003

 




Accident Reports on DVD, Copyright © 2006 by Flight Simulation Systems, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.
 All referenced trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
www.fss.aero