Event Details


Title:Turbulence injuries, Boeing 737-222, May 5, 1999
Micro summary:This Boeing 737-222 encountered turbulence on descent. Two people were injured, one seriously.
Event Time:1999-05-05 at 2220 CDT
File Name:1999-05-05-US.pdf
Publishing Agency:National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Publishing Country:USA
Report number:CHI99LA145
Pages:6
Site of event:Chicago, IL
Departure:Minneapolis St Paul International, Minneapolis,Mn., Minnesota, USA
Destination:Chicago Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Airplane Type(s):Boeing 737-222
Flight Phase:Descent
Registration(s):N208AU
Operator(s):Vanguard Airlines
Type of flight:Revenue
Occupants:48
Fatalities:0
Serious Injuries:1
Minor/Non-Injured:47
Other Injuries:0
Executive Summary:

NTSB short summary:

the flight attendants did not follow the cockpit crews instructions to be seated because of expected turbulence. A factor associated with the accident was the turbulence encountered.

NTSB synopsis:

Flight 432 encountered about 30 seconds of moderate turbulence while deviating around weather cells during a descent from 17,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The seat belt sign was on and the flight attendants were instructed to be seated prior to the encounter. The 'A' flight attendant in the front of the airplane was able to get to her jumpseat. The 'B' and 'C' flight attendants in the back of the airplane were not seated and both were thrown to the ceiling during the encounter. The 'B' flight attendant suffered a cut and bruises. The 'C' flight attendant who landed on the floor suffered a broken pelvis.

NTSB factual narrative text:

On May 5, 1999, at 2220 central daylight time (cdt), a Boeing 737-222, N208AU, operated by Vanguard Airlines as Flight 432, encountered turbulence during descent into the Chicago Midway Airport. One flight attendant was seriously injured. The captain, first officer, 2 other flight attendants, and 43 passengers were not injured. The airplane was not damaged. The 14 CFR Part 121 scheduled passenger flight was operating on an IFR flight plan. The flight departed from Minneapolis, Minnesota, at 2108 cdt.

The captain reported they encountered about 30 seconds of moderate turbulence while deviating around weather cells during a descent from 17,000 feet mean sea level (msl). He reported the seatbelt sign was on. The captain reported he informed the flight attendants to clean up the cabin and prepare to sit down approximately 10 minutes prior to the encounter. He continued to report that about 5 minutes prior to the encounter the flight attendants were informed to be seated immediately. Upon reaching an altitude of about 10,000 feet msl the cockpit was informed that two of the flight attendants had not been seated and they were injured during the turbulence encounter. The cockpit crew declared an emergency with air traffic control and the flight continued to the Chicago Midway Airport where it was met by medical personnel.

The "A" flight attendant who was in the front of the airplane reported that approximately 30 minutes into the flight the captain notified her that they may encounter turbulence and that the flight attendants should secure their galleys. She stated she informed the "B" and "C" flight attendants of the situation. She reported that they secured the galleys and she made a PA announcement that they would be picking up service items. The "A" flight attendant stated that about 15 minutes later she received another call from the cockpit stating that they should secure the cabin and take their seats. She stated she made the final prelanding PA announcement and they secured the cabin for landing. She stated that she was in the forward galley and flight attendants "B" and "C" were in the aft galley when they encountered the turbulence at which time she immediately got into her jumpseat. She stated that after about one minute the turbulence subsided and she made her way to the back of the airplane where she found the "C" flight attendant laying in the aisle and the "B" flight attendant sitting in passenger seat 21C. The "C" flight attendant told her that she had hurt her hip and she wasn't sure she could walk. The "A" flight attendant helped her off the floor and into seat 21D. She then noticed that the "B" flight attendant was bleeding from a cut on her knee. She stated that she then went to the cockpit to inform the flight crew of what had happened.

The "B" and "C" flight attendants stated they were informed that turbulence was expected. About five minutes later, as they were securing the aft galley, they were informed to take their seats. They reported the turbulence was encountered as they were going to get in their jumpseats. The "B" flight attendant reported that she grabbed the seatback in front of her and tried to get into a seat in row 21. She stated the airplane dropped and she was thrown to the ceiling where she hit her head. She then came down and landed on the back of seat 20C. The "C" flight attendant was coming out of the aft galley to assist her when the airplane dropped again. The "C" flight attendant was thrown to the ceiling and came back down into the aisle where she landed on her right side, hitting her back against a seat. They stated the "C" flight attendant layed on the floor for about 10 minutes until the "A" flight attendant came from the front of the airplane and helped her into a seat.

The "B" flight attendant suffered a cut on her knee and bruises. The "C" flight attendant suffered a fractured pelvis.
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 747-422, September 14, 1997
Turbulence injuries, Boeing 767-223, July 22, 1998
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