# Accident 20000214000579A: Fokker F28MK4000, Red Bluff, CA, February 14, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 14, 2000, 11:37 local time - Place: Red Bluff, CA - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: QXEA - Location: 40.1299° N, 122.4296° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1299&lon=-122.4296&mi=10 - Aircraft: N493US, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N493US-2006-02-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Fokker F.28 MK4000 (registry code 4990810, https://openairdocs.org/model/fokker-f-28-mk4000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FOKKER F28MK4000 - People aboard: 23 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA098) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000214000579A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 14, 2000, AT 1134 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, HORIZON AIR FLIGHT 2457, A FOKKER FK-28, N493US, ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE OVER RED BLUFF, CALIFORNIA, AND ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATED CAPTAIN, THE FIRST OFFICER, A SECOND FLIGHT ATTENDANT, OR THE 20 PASSENGERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT BY HORIZON AIR INDUSTRIES, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 121 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AT 0855 ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AS A NONSTOP FLIGHT TO FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. AN AIRLINE SPOKESMAN REPORTED THAT DURING THE DESCENT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN HAD INSTRUCTED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND PASSENGERS TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED. ON THE WAY TO HER SEAT, ONE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS STOPPED TO REMIND A PASSENGER TO FASTEN HIS SEAT BELT. WHILE SHE WAS INSTRUCTING THE PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AND WAS WAS THROWN ABOUT THE C ABIN. SUBSEQUENT X-RAYS REVEALED THAT SHE HAD SUSTAINED A FRACTURED ANKLE.(-23) WHILE IN ADESCENT THROUGH FL240 APPROX. 70 DME NNE OF FAT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED CAT. ALL PAX WERE BELTED IN. THE INJURED FA WAS WALKING TO THE REAR OF THE A/C TO TAKE HER SEAT @ THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 14, 2000, AT 1137 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, HORIZON AIR FLIGHT 2457, A FOKKER FK-28-4000, N493US, ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE OVER RED BLUFF, CALIFORNIA, AND ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATED CAPTAIN, THE FIRST OFFICER, A SECOND FLIGHT ATTENDANT, OR THE 20 PASSENGERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT BY HORIZON AIR INDUSTRIES, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 121 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AT 0926 ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AS A NONSTOP FLIGHT TO FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE HAD INITIATED DESCENT FROM FLIGHT LEVEL (FL) 290 AND ILLUMINATED THE "FASTEN SEATBELTS" SIGN AT ABOUT 11 10. UPON REACHING FL 240, THE AIR BEGAN TO GET "CHOPPY." AS THEY DESCENDED BELOW FL 240, THE FIRST OFFICER NOTIFIED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO CLEAN UP AND BE SEATED. A PASSENGER ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE AT THE SAME TIME REGARDING POSSIBLE TURBULENCE, DESTINATION WEATHER, AND THE EXPECTED TIME OF ARRIVAL (ETA). APPROXIMATELY FL 230, THEY WERE STILL ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER AND THE FIRST OFFICER NOTIFIED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO ALL BE SEATED AT THAT TIME. THE CAPTAIN WAS ALSO AWARE THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HAD BEEN TOLD TO BE SEATED FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT. AT FL 220 THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. TWO OR 3 MINUTES LATER, THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AGAIN, THAT LASTED ABOUT 5 SECONDS. ON THE WAY TO HER SEAT, ONE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS STOPPED BECAUSE OF A PASSENGER WHO HAD NOT FASTENED HIS SEAT BELT. WHILE SHE WAS INSTRUCTING THE PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AND SHE WAS THROWN ABOUT THE CABIN. THE "A" FLIGHT ATTENDANT NEXT NOTIFIED THE FLIGHT CREW THAT THE "B" FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD BEEN INJURED. THE CAPTAIN TOLD THE "A" FLIGHT ATTENDANT TO HELP PUT THE "B" FLIGHT ATTENDANT IN HER SEAT AND THEN TO RETURN TO HER OWN SEAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS THE DESCENT CONTINUED INTO THE FRESNO AREA, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SEVERE TURBULENCE AND THAT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE NEEDED UPON THEIR ARRIVAL. COMPANY FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN FRESNO WAS ALSO INFORMED OF THE SITUATION. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE GATE, ALL OF THE PASSENGERS DEPLANED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PARAMEDICS BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT AND ATTENDED TO THE "B" FLIGHT ATTENDANT. SUBSEQUENT X-RAYS REVEALED THAT SHE HAD SUSTAINED A FRACTURED ANKLE. ## 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 LAX00LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA098), Feb 14, 2000: Fokker FK-28-4000 (N493US), Red Bluff, CA, no damage. Probable cause: the failure of the passenger to fasten his seat belt without the necessity of being instructed by the flight attendant. ## Other reports on N493US (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19900604026009I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900604026009I), Jun 4, 1990: Fokker F28MK4000 (N493US), Syracuse, NY. Unable to retract flaps after takeoff. Returned. Flap clutch shut off, solenoid was sticking. 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.