19971211045509A

Accident

FAA accident report · Saab 340B · Ventura, CA · December 11, 1997

Date: December 11, 1997 · 05:35 local
Place: Ventura, CA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: WWMA
Aircraft: N329AE
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98LA057
Reported as: Saab 340B
Reported engine: GE CT79B
People aboard: 17
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,000 total4,505 in this make and model252 in the last 90 days

N329AERegistered now · Saab-Scania SAAB 340BS/N 340B-329 Airframe modelSaab-Scania SAAB 340B Engine modelGE CT7-SER seriesTurbo-prop

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 captain reported that 20 minutes into a smooth flight, and 10 minutes before landing, he felt some light chop so he turned on the seat belt sign. Shortly thereafter, they experienced sudden and violent severe turbulence. At that time, the flight attendant had completed her service and was about to acknowledge the seat belt sign over the public-address system prior to her being seated for landing. According to the crew, no valid SIGMET w as issued and no AIRMET or pireps were available.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT 20 MINUTES INTO A SMOOTH FLIGHT, AND 10 MINUTES BEFORE LANDING, HE FELT SOME LIGHT CHOP SO HE TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND VIOLENT SEVERE TURBULENCE. AT THAT TIME, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD COMPLETED HER SERVICE AND WAS ABOUT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SEAT BELT SIGN OVER THE PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM PRIOR TO HER BEING SEATED FOR LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE CREW, NO VALID SIGMET W AS ISSUED AND NO AIRMET OR PIREPS WERE AVAILABLE.

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 LAX98LA057Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportVentura, CASeat belt not used. A related factor was the unforecasted severe air turbulence.Dec 11, 1997 · No damage