# Accident 19990916037259A: Airbus A320231, Las Vegas, NV, September 16, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 16, 1999, 21:47 local time - Place: Las Vegas, NV - Airport: Mc Carran International - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: AWXA - Location: 37.0899° N, 116.7894° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0899&lon=-116.7894&mi=10 - Aircraft: N628AW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N628AW-2014-01-28) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Airbus Industrie A320-231 (registry code 3930325, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a320-231) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBUS A320231 - People aboard: 122 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 10,259 total, 252 in this make and model, 191 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA323) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990916037259A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1999, AT 2147 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMERICA WEST AIRBUS A320-321, N628AW, FLIGHT 2569, ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHILE ON DESCENT INTO THE LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DAMAGED; HOWEVER, 3 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND 5 PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES WHILE 1 PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT BY AMERICA WEST AIRLINES, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 121 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AT 1955 ON THE EVENING OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT FLIGHT LEVEL (FL) 250 ABOUT 40 DISTANCE MEASURING EQUIPMENT (DME) MILES SOUTHEAST OF BEATTY VISUAL OMNI RANGE (VOR). HE HAD BEEN DEVIATING AROUND THUNDERSTORMS WHILE HE USED AIRBORNE RADAR TO IDENTIFY THE SEVERE CELLS. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE SEVERE WEATHER. THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER LASTED ABOUT 5 SECONDS WITH 1 LARGE "BUMP" THAT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A 100-FOOT ALTITUDE GAIN IN LESS THAN 2 SECONDS. FLIGHT ATTENDANTS REPORTED INJURIES TO SEVERAL PASSENGERS. THE CAPTAIN THEN CONTACTED LAS VEGAS FLIGHT OPERATIONS AND REQUESTED THAT EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT MEET THE AIRCRAFT AT THE GATE. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT DUE TO "LIGHT CHOP" THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED EARLIER IN THE FLIGHT. HE MADE A PUBLIC ADDRESS (PA) ANNOUNCEMENT IN WHICH HE TOLD THE PASSENGERS TO RETURN TO THEIR SEATS AND TO FASTEN THEIR SEAT BELTS. ABOUT 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE DIRECTED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO SUSPEND SERVICE AND TO SECURE THE CABIN. ONCE AGAIN, HE MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT ADVISING PASSENGERS OF THE INCREASED CHANCE OF TURBULENCE DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT. EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL MET THE AIRCRAFT AT THE GATE AND SIX PASSENGERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO AREA HOSPITALS. THE THREE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE TREATED BY PARAMEDICS AT THE SCENE AND RELEASED. ALTHOUGH OFFERED MEDICAL ATTENTION, TWO PASSENGERS REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT. (-23) THE A/C WAS IN A DESCENT WHILE TRYING TO AVOID THUNDERSTORMS. THE A/C ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. SEVERAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND PASSENGERS RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE TURBULENCE. ## 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 LAX99LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA323), Sep 17, 1999: Airbus Industrie A-320-231 (N628AW), Beatty, NV, no damage. Probable cause: the failure of the injured passengers to remain seated with their seat belts fastened as directed by the captain. ## Other reports on N628AW (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19990216021179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990216021179I), Feb 16, 1999: Airbus A320321 (N628AW), Columbus, OH, Minor damage. During approach and after calling for "gear down" crew received ecam message "lgciu #1 fault", then received "lgciu #2 fault". Crew made fly-by and tower… 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.