What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 30, 2001, about 1225 eastern standard time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82, N488AA, operated as American airlines flight #321 new york to chicago, piloted by an airline transport rated captain and copilot, sustained a serious in-flight injury to one passenger when the flight encountered turbulence near london, ontario, Canada. The flight diverted to detroit metropolitan wayne county airport (dtw), near Romulus, Michigan. The 14 CFR part 121 scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating on an IFR flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 2 flight crewmembers, 3 cabin crewmembers, and remaining 89 passengers were uninjured. The flight originated from la guardia airport, near new york, new york, at 1102, and was enroute to chicago o'hare international airport, chicago, Illinois at the time of the accident. The flight landed at dtw at 1247. (-23) American airlines flight 321 was enroute from new york (lga) to chicago (ord) and had leveled off at FL280 east of london, ont. On J-36. The seat belt light had been on from takeoff. On level off the captain had warned of rough air ahead and the need to stay seated. The aircraft encountered light chop and the captain requested a descent to FL240. The flight attendants had recently completed a beverage service and were seated. Mr. John panicker (the subsequently injured passenger) was again warned to be seated when he got up to use the rear lavatory. While he was in the lav, another pa announcement about seat belt usage was made. After Mr. Panicker exited the lav, he was warned to be seated once more. At FL240 the aircraft encountered severe clear air turbulence while Mr. Panicker was still in the aisle. He fell to the floor, complaining of a broken foot. The captain descended to FL200 and upon hearing of the passenger's injury decided to land at detroit (dtw) to see medical attention for Mr. Panicker. EMS met the flight and Mr. Panicker was taken to a nearby hospital where a broken foot was confirmed. A turbulence inspection was conducted at dtw before the flight continued.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 30, 2001, ABOUT 1225 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-9-82, N488AA, OPERATED AS AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT #321 NEW YORK TO CHICAGO, PILOTED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED CAPTAIN AND COPILOT, SUSTAINED A SERIOUS IN-FLIGHT INJURY TO ONE PASSENGER WHEN THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE NEAR LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA. THE FLIGHT DIVERTED TO DETROIT METROPOLITAN WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT (DTW), NEAR ROMULUS, MICHIGAN. THE 14 CFR PART 121 SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 2 FLIGHT CREWMEMBERS, 3 CABIN CREWMEMBERS, AND REMAINING 89 PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LA GUARDIA AIRPORT, NEAR NEW YORK, NEW YORK, AT 1102, AND WAS ENROUTE TO CHICAGO O'HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT LANDED AT DTW AT 1247. (-23) AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 321 WAS ENROUTE FROM NEW YORK (LGA) TO CHICAGO (ORD) AND HAD LEVELED OFF AT FL280 EAST OF LONDON, ONT. ON J-36. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT HAD BEEN ON FROM TAKEOFF. ON LEVEL OFF THE CAPTAIN HAD WARNED OF ROUGH AIR AHEAD AND THE NEED TO STAY SEATED. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED LIGHT CHOP AND THE CAPTAIN REQUESTED A DESCENT TO FL240. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED A BEVERAGE SERVICE AND WERE SEATED. MR. JOHN PANICKER (THE SUBSEQUENTLY INJURED PASSENGER) WAS AGAIN WARNED TO BE SEATED WHEN HE GOT UP TO USE THE REAR LAVATORY. WHILE HE WAS IN THE LAV, ANOTHER PA ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT SEAT BELT USAGE WAS MADE. AFTER MR. PANICKER EXITED THE LAV, HE WAS WARNED TO BE SEATED ONCE MORE. AT FL240 THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE WHILE MR. PANICKER WAS STILL IN THE AISLE. HE FELL TO THE FLOOR, COMPLAINING OF A BROKEN FOOT. THE CAPTAIN DESCENDED TO FL200 AND UPON HEARING OF THE PASSENGER'S INJURY DECIDED TO LAND AT DETROIT (DTW) TO SEE MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR MR. PANICKER. EMS MET THE FLIGHT AND MR. PANICKER WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL WHERE A BROKEN FOOT WAS CONFIRMED. A TURBULENCE INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED AT DTW BEFORE THE FLIGHT CONTINUED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N488AA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.