19960829029759A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Boeing 737-3B7 · Chattanooga, TN · August 29, 1996

Date: August 29, 1996 · 15:53 local
Place: Chattanooga, TN
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: USAA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N392US
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA96LA220
Reported as: Boeing 7373B7
Reported engine: GE CFM56*
People aboard: 84
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,897 total5,210 in this make and model155 in the last 90 days

N392USRegistration cancelled Apr 10, 2006 · Boeing 737-3B7S/N 23314 · Built 1985 Airframe modelBoeing 737-3B7 Engine modelCFM International CFM56 seriesTurbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The airplane encountered severe turbulence, while in cruise flight. The seat belt signs were not illuminated. The airplane weather avoidance radar was on, and no weather was present on the radar screen. When the captain was notified of injuries sustained by passengers, he accessed the situation, notified ATC, and requested to divert to another airport. The airplane landed with out further incident. Review of the digital flight data recorder revealed the airplane was subjected to severe acceleration oscillations. The vertical acceleration peaked at 1.81 g's, -1.38 g's, 1.99 g's, and continued to oscillate for 28 seconds. Review of weather data revealed no area of significant convection in the area.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. THE SEAT BELT SIGNS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE AIRPLANE WEATHER AVOIDANCE RADAR WAS ON, AND NO WEATHER WAS PRESENT ON THE RADAR SCREEN. WHEN THE CAPTAIN WAS NOTIFIED OF INJURIES SUSTAINED BY PASSENGERS, HE ACCESSED THE SITUATION, NOTIFIED ATC, AND REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH OUT FURTHER INCIDENT. REVIEW OF THE DIGITAL FLIGHT DATA RECORDER REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBJECTED TO SEVERE ACCELERATION OSCILLATIONS. THE VERTICAL ACCELERATION PEAKED AT 1.81 G'S, -1.38 G'S, 1.99 G'S, AND CONTINUED TO OSCILLATE FOR 28 SECONDS. REVIEW OF WEATHER DATA REVEALED NO AREA OF SIGNIFICANT CONVECTION IN THE AREA.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA96LA220Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportChattanooga, TNclear air turbulence, which was encountered during cruise flight and resulted in injuries to passengers.Aug 29, 1996 · Minor damage

Other reports on N392US · 1

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

Incident 19950626022909IFinal Approach · Washington, DCUncommonded right roll on approach. Turned 45 degrees. Used auto pilot kill switch and recovered control.Jun 26, 1995