# Accident 19990317041959A: Boeing 7373T0, Newark, NJ, March 17, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 17, 1999, 15:40 local time - Place: Newark, NJ - Airport: Newark International - Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: CALA - Location: 40.6925° N, 74.1687° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6925&lon=-74.1687&mi=10 - Aircraft: N17321, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N17321-2009-10-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Boeing 737-3TO (registry code 138447G, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-3to) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 7373T0 - Reported engine: GE CFM56* - People aboard: 107 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 16,000 total, 260 in this make and model, 196 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA076) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990317041959A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ EMPLOYEE ^PRIVAC^, A 25 YEAR OLD FLIGHT ATTENDANT EITHER SLIPPED OR TRIPPED WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING THE MAIN ENTRY DOOR OF A B-737-300 FOR THE PURPOSE OF BOARDING TWO LATE ARRIVING PASSENGERS. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO JET BRIDGE NOR BOARDING STAIRS IN PLACE, HER FOOTING WAS LOST WHILE IN THIS PROCESS RESULTING IN HER TUMBLING FROM THE AIRCRAFT HEAD FIRST TO THE GROUND BELOW. HER HEAD FIRST FALL WAS BROKEN/CUSHIONED BY BOTH OUTSTRETCHED ARMS; IN DOING SO SHE SUSTAINED A COMPOUND FRACTURE OF THE RIGHT WRIST AND A SIMPLE FRACTURE OF THE BONES IN THE LEFT WRIST. THE SUBJECT ALSO STRUCK THE SIDE OF HER HEAD WHICH PRODUCED SWELLING BUT NO SERIOUS INJURY TO THE CRANIUM HOWEVER, A CONCUSSION WAS SUSTAINED. (.4)+THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT FELL FROM THE MAIN CABIN DOORWAY OF A BOEING 737, TO THE TARMAC, WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN COMPLETELY CLOSED AND THE JETWAY PUSHED BACK IN PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE. AN AGENT APPEARED AT THE END OF THE JETWAY, AND ASKED IF TWO ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS COULD BOARD. THE CAPTAIN AGREED TO DO SO, AND THE AGENT PROCEEDED BACK UP THE JETWAY TO GET THE ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS, WITHOUT MOVING THE JETWAY B ACK TO THE AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS ADVISED OF THE SITUATION. THE CAPTAIN THEN MADE A PRE-DEPARTURE ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM, AND WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED, A PASSENGER ADVISED HIM THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD FALLEN FROM THE AIRPLANE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD BEEN FLYING WITH THE COMPANY FOR 4 MONTHS. ACCORDING TO THE AIRLINE'S WRITTEN PROCEDURES, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS REQUIRED TO DISARM, AND 'CRACK' THE CABIN DOOR, BY ROTATING THE HANDLE ENOUGH TO BREAK THE SEAL. THE GATE AGENT WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTUALLY OPENING THE DOOR. IF THE GATE AGENT HAD SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE, THEN THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WOULD HAVE HELPED TO OPEN THE CABIN DOOR. ## 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 NYC99LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA076), Mar 17, 1999: Boeing 737-300 (N17321), Newark, NJ, no damage. Probable cause: The flight attendant's failure to follow cabin door opening procedures. ## Other reports on N17321 (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19980119002309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980119002309I), Jan 19, 1998: Boeing 7373T0 (N17321), Kansas City, MO. Narrative: Continental airlines inc., flight #234, aircraft registration # N17321, departed lax 1/19/98, en-route to cle. While enroute, the circuit breaker… - [Incident 19940722032979I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940722032979I), Jul 22, 1994: Boeing 737300 (N17321), Jackson, WY. Landed long. Overran runway by 61 feet. Taxiied to ramp. 6000 foot runway. Tried land and stop in 3000 feet. - [Incident 19860926053799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860926053799I), Sep 26, 1986: Boeing 7373TO (N17321), Houston, TX. Landed with partial hydraulic loss, found faulty engine drive hydraulic pump. 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.