Incident Overview
Date: Saturday 13 May 2006
Aircraft Type: Embraer EMB-145LR
Owner/operator: American Eagle Airlines
Registration Number: N653AE
Location: Winchester, VA –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 46
Component Affected: Seat belt signSeat belt sign
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
An airplane experienced turbulence while approaching its destination at 10,000 feet, prompting a flight attendant to warn passengers of potential turbulence via the public address system. A passenger, upon exiting the lavatory, fell and broke her ankle due to failing to heed the flight attendant’s warning and the seat belt sign.An airplane experienced turbulence while approaching its destination at 10,000 feet, prompting a flight attendant to warn passengers of potential turbulence via the public address system. A passenger, upon exiting the lavatory, fell and broke her ankle due to failing to heed the flight attendant’s warning and the seat belt sign.
Description
The airplane was approaching its destination, at 10,000 feet, and the seat belt sign had been illuminated for 10-15 minutes, when the crew noticed that clouds ahead “appeared bumpy.” The flight attendant was notified, and she advised the passengers of possible turbulence via the public address system. A passenger subsequently got out of her seat to use the lavatory, and upon leaving the lavatory, while the airplane was in a cloud and experiencing turbulence, she fell and broke her ankle. Probable Cause: The passenger’s failure to heed the flight attendant warning and the seat belt sign. A factor was the turbulence.
Primary Cause
Passenger failure to heed flight attendant warning and seat belt sign.Passenger failure to heed flight attendant warning and seat belt sign.Share on:
