Incident Overview

Date: Monday 22 April 2002
Aircraft Type: Boeing 767-224
Owner/operator: Continental Airlines
Registration Number: N68160
Location: 75 miles N of San Juan, Puerto Rico – ÿ Atlantic Ocean
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 122
Component Affected: AirplaneAirplane
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
An airplane encountered turbulence during a cruise flight at flight level 360 over the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 75 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. One flight attendant sustained a serious injury, and one flight attendant and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. National Weather Service Weather Surveillance Radar indicated a Convective Induced Turbulence (CIT) encounter, likely associated with cumulonimbus activity, and possibly above and downwind of the cumulonimbus cloud tops.An airplane encountered turbulence during a cruise flight at flight level 360 over the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 75 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. One flight attendant sustained a serious injury, and one flight attendant and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. National Weather Service Weather Surveillance Radar indicated a Convective Induced Turbulence (CIT) encounter, likely associated with cumulonimbus activity, and possibly above and downwind of the cumulonimbus cloud tops.

Description

The airplane was in cruise flight at flight level 360, over the Atlantic Ocean, about 75 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it encountered turbulence. One flight attendant sustained a serious injury, and one flight attendant and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. Review of National Weather Service Weather Surveillance Radar revealed echoes along the airway where the turbulence event occurred; which implied that the turbulent event was likely associated with a Convective Induced Turbulence (CIT) encounter related to the airflow associated with cumulonimbus activity, and possibly above and downwind of the cumulonimbus cloud tops. Probable Cause: The airplane’s inadvertent encounter which clear air turbulence during cruise flight.

Primary Cause

Inadvertent encounter of turbulent conditions during cruise flight.Inadvertent encounter of turbulent conditions during cruise flight.

Share on:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *