![]() |
Title: | Turbulence injuries, Pan American World Airways, Inc., Boeing 747-121, N739PA, near Nantucket, Massachusetts, November 4, 1970 (Recommended) |
Micro summary: | This Boeing 747-121 encountered severe turbulence during climb, injuring several people. |
Event Time: | 1970-11-04 at 2146 EST |
File Name: | 1970-11-04-US.pdf |
Publishing Agency: | National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) |
Publishing Country: | USA |
Report number: | NTSB-AAR-72-14 |
Pages: | 18 |
Diversion Airport: | John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, New York, USA |
Site of event: | Over Nantucket, MA, |
Departure: | John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York, USA |
Destination: | Orly Airport, Paris, France |
Airplane Type(s): | Boeing 747-121 |
Flight Phase: | Climb |
Registration(s): | N739PA |
Operator(s): | Pan American World Airways |
Type of flight: | Revenue |
Occupants: | 163 |
Fatalities: | 0 |
Serious Injuries: | 23 |
Minor/Non-Injured: | 140 |
Other Injuries: | 0 |
Diverted to: | John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, New York, USA |
Executive Summary: | Pan American World Airways, Inc., Flight 114, a Boeing 747-121, N739PA. was a scheduled passenger flight originating at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) , New York, on November 4, 1970. Its destination was Orly Airport, Paris, France. There were 148 passengers and a crew of 15 aboard the flight. The takeoff at 2117 EST was uneventful. The flight had been cleared to 31,000 feet. and turbulence during the climb to approximately 27,000 feet was described by the flightcrew as an occasional "nibble." At approximately 2146 EST, the aircraft encountered moderate to briefly severe turbulence at about 27,000 feet as it passed Nantucket, Massachusetts. During the encounter, which lasted approximately 4 minutes 10 seconds, 21 passengers and two stewardesscs sustained injuries which ranged from minor to serious. The seatbelt sign was on at the time of the encounter and had been on since takeoff. At 2207 CST, the flightcrew requested clearance back to JFK Airport and later requested and received preferential air traffic control handling. The aircraft landed on Runway 31R at 2339 EST The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the entry of the aircraft into an area of moderate to briefly severe turbulence associated with convective activity while numerous occupants were unsecured by seatbelts, even though the seatbelt sign was lighted. As a result of the investigation of this accident, the Safety Board sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration on April 28, 1971, recommending improvements or corrective action in the following areas: seatbelt discipline, Boeing 747 overhead bin locking mechanisms, economy seat headrests, narrow aisle stretchers, and air carrier policy on deviation of flight. The Administrator's response on May 7, 1971, indicated that appropriate action had been taken on most of the Board's recommendations, and that action had been initiated on the remaininr items. Copies of the Board's letter of recommendation and the Administrator's response were also transmitted to interested parties, such as operators of the Boeing 747, appropriate airport managers, The Boeing Company and the Flight Safety Foundation, for their information and consideration. |
Learning Keywords: | Operations - Turbulence |
Consequence - Flight Attendant Fatality - Injury |
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