Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 20 January 1990
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10
Owner/operator: American Airlines
Registration Number: N124AA
Location: San Juan, PR –
ÿ Puerto Rico
Phase of Flight: Unknown
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 147
Component Affected: The airplane itself.The airplane itself.
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A flight experienced a turbulence event and two turbulence events during descent from FL370, resulting in injuries to 37 passengers and 8 flight attendants. Weather avoidance radar was not observed. The incident occurred during a moonless night.A flight experienced a turbulence event and two turbulence events during descent from FL370, resulting in injuries to 37 passengers and 8 flight attendants. Weather avoidance radar was not observed. The incident occurred during a moonless night.
Description
THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A NORMAL DESCENT FROM FL370 IN PREPARATION FOR ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION. AS THE DESCENT CONTINUED THROUGH FL 230 THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED 2 TURBULENCE EVENTS AND 2 PASSENGERS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND 37 PASSENGERS AND 8 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATING ON A MOONLESS NIGHT AND THE WEATHER AVOIDANCE RADAR WAS ON BUT NOTHING WAS OBSERVED ON THE RADAR. Probable Cause: INADVERTENT FLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE INTO AN AREA OF TURBULENCE ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPING RAIN STORM.
Primary Cause
Inadvertent flight into a region of turbulence associated with a developing rain storm.Inadvertent flight into a region of turbulence associated with a developing rain storm.Share on:
