Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 27 July 1978
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
Owner/operator: Union de Transports Ariens – UTA
Registration Number: N54629
Location: South Pacific –
ÿ Pacific Ocean
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 180
Component Affected: Aircraft systems (navigation, communication, and control).Aircraft systems (navigation, communication, and control).
Category: Accident
An aircraft experienced severe turbulence during a cruise at FL370, resulting in serious injuries to five individuals. The turbulence was not forecast and lacked radar indications of storm activity. Passengers failed to fasten their seatbelts prior to the accident.An aircraft experienced severe turbulence during a cruise at FL370, resulting in serious injuries to five individuals. The turbulence was not forecast and lacked radar indications of storm activity. Passengers failed to fasten their seatbelts prior to the accident.
Description
While in normal cruise at FL370, the aircraft entered an area of turbulence. The accelerations experienced (-0.5 g to 2.5 g) resulted in serious injuries to five persons. This turbulence had not been mentioned in the forecast provided to the crew and no sigmet had been issued. The pilots had had no radar indications of storm activity en route; as a result the passengers had not fastened their seat belts before the accident.
Primary Cause
Lack of radar detection of storm activity and failure to issue a storm warning.Lack of radar detection of storm activity and failure to issue a storm warning.Share on:
