# Accident 19951017047939A: Boeing 747422, Pacific Ocean, October 17, 1995

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 17, 1995, 09:44 local time
- Place: Pacific Ocean
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: UALA
- Aircraft: N191UA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N191UA-2005-06-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 747-422 (registry code 1384935, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-747-422) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series (registry code 52119, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4000-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 747422
- Reported engine: PWA PW4056
- People aboard: 325
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,857 total, 66 in this make and model, 66 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX96LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA013) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951017047939A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)SIX PASSENGERS WERE INJURED DURING A SEVERE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE AT FLIGHT LEVEL FL330. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS NEAR LATITUDE 40 DEGREES NORTH, LONGITUDE 152 DEGREES EAST.  REVIEW OF THE FORECASTS AND PILOT REPORTS OF THE DISPATCH/WEATHER PACKAGE GIVEN TO THE FLIGHT CREW PRIOR TO DEPARTURE DISCLOSED THAT AN AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS FORECAST ALONG THE AIRCRAFT'S PLANNED TRACK FROM 151 TO 162 DEGREES EAST LONGITUDE.  PILOT REPORTS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE CONSISTENTLY REPORTED SMOOTH CONDITIONS IN THE AREA OF THE FORECAST TURBULENCE.  AT THE TIME OF THE ENCOUNTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN CLEAR AIR ABOVE A CIRRUS CLOUD DECK.  THE CREW SAW NO CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AHEAD EITHER VISUALLY OR ON RADAR.  IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR A POSITION REPORT TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, THE FLIGHT CREW OVERHEARD ANOTHER AIRLINE FLIGHT AHEAD OF THEM REPORTING AN ENCOUNTER WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN DECIDED TO SECURE THE CABIN AS A PRECAUTION. THE PURSER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DECISION AND THE CAPTAIN WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REACHING FOR THE SEAT BELT SIGN WHEN THE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUN TERED. ALL OF THE INJURED PASSENGERS WERE LOCATED AFT OF ROW 50, WITH THE MAJORITY AFT OF ROW 58. NONE OF THE INJURED WERE SECURED BY SEAT BELTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX96LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA013), Oct 17, 1995: Boeing 747-422 (N191UA), Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean), no damage. Probable cause: an inadvertent encounter with unreported and unforecasted severe turbulence. A factor in the accident was the passengers' non-use of seat belts during cruise flight.

## Other reports on N191UA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20020406009929I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020406009929I), Apr 6, 2002: Boeing 747422 (N191UA), Los Angeles, CA, Minor damage. (-23) United airlines inc. flight 816 was arriving at gate 74 with a medical emergency. Upon arrival to the gate the 747-422 struck the lax fire department…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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