# Accident 19961222039619A: Doug DC983, San Jose, CA, December 22, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 22, 1996, 12:12 local time
- Place: San Jose, CA
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: AALA
- Location: 37.3403° N, 121.9496° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3403&lon=-121.9496&mi=10
- Aircraft: N590AA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N590AA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83) (registry code 3022083, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-83-md-83) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D series (registry code 52053, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG DC983
- Reported engine: PWA JT8D217
- People aboard: 119
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,372 total, 3,372 in this make and model, 160 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961222039619A

## Narrative

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

ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE WHILE DESCENDING TO AIRPORT. (.4)THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN IN MODERATE CHOP FOR SOME TIME DURING THE INITIAL DESCENT.  THE CABIN SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND ALL PASSENGERS WERE SECURE IN THEIR SEATS.  THE CABIN CREW HAD JUST COMPLETED A BEVERAGE SERVICE AND WERE STOWING GALLEY EQUIPMENT AT THE TIME.  AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH 17,500 FEET ONE SEVERE TURBULENCE JOLT WAS EXPERIENCED.  THE INJURED CABIN CREW MEMBERS WERE STANDING IN THE AFT GALLEY; ONE WAS ABLE TO GRAB A HAND HOLD WHILE THE OTHER ONE WAS THROWN AGAINST THE CEILING AND BACK TO THE FLOOR.  THE CABIN ATTENDANT WHO WAS THROWN TO THE CEILING SUSTAINED A COMPOUND FRACTURE OF ONE ANKLE, WHICH REQUIRED SURGERY TO REPAIR.  THE SECOND CABIN ATTENDANT WAS TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL FOR SOFT TISSUE INJURIES AND RELEASED.  REVIEW OF THE WEATHER REPORTS DISCLOSED THAT SIGMET PAPA 13 WAS ISSUED AT 221656 AND FORECAST MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA BELOW 18,000 FEET.  CENTER WEATHER ADVISORIES 01 AND 02 WERE IN EFFECT FOR THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THE ENCOUNTER AND PREDICTED MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL SEVERE T                URBULENCE BELOW 22,000 FEET. THE DISPATCH WEATHER PACKAGE PROVIDED TO THE FLIGHT CREW AT CHICAGO WAS REVIEWED.  THE DATE/TIME GROUP FOR THE PACKAGE PREPARATION WAS NOTED TO BE 221501, PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF SIGMENT PAPA 13 AND BOTH CENTER WEATHER ADVISORIES.  NO SIGMETS WERE NOTED FOR THE TERMINAL PORTIONS OF THE FLIGHT.

## 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 LAX97LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA072), Dec 22, 1996: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (N590AA), San Jose, CA, no damage. Probable cause: The flight's encounter with severe turbulence while the injured cabin crew was standing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.